Acee: Quentin Jammer facing inevitable end to Bolts career The unthinkable has been increasingly present in his thoughts, reaching the point that it is impossible to not have it ruminate in nearly every moment. It was at first a fog so distant and vague that it didn’t seem real, but now it envelopes him, and it is a somewhat frightening actuality. Sunday’s game will be Quentin Jammer’s 172nd as a Charger, breaking a tie with Doug Wilkerson for fourth-most in franchise history. Among position players, only Junior Seau and Dan Fouts have played more games as Chargers. It will also, almost undoubtedly, unfathomably, be Jammer’s final game as a Charger. “Last year, I guess,” said Jammer, who in conversations this week most often spoke in halted sentences like that, his voice sodden in melancholy. This should hit you hard. His early penchant for penalties and his hands of steel have been oft-lamented by fans. But Jammer grew on San Diego for his consistency and improvement, his physicality and his simple desire. His quiet dedication to a local high school for foster children earned him even more respect. His many years as doting husband and father became almost legendary to teammates and fans alike. His candor earlier this year in the wake of his divorce, wherein he acknowledged his drinking and thoughts of suicide, cemented his eminent humanity. No current player has been in the Chargers locker room longer, and there have been just a handful ever more widely revered. In his more than a decade as the Chargers left cornerback, through just three missed starts and two missed games, Jammer rose from underappreciated to impossible to overestimate. And for so long, it seemed he would just always be here. The supreme cliché among NFLers is that “it’s a business.” But that business swept by without Jammer being party. In 2006, three seasons after the Chargers made him the fifth overall pick in 2002 and two years before his rookie deal was due to expire, Jammer signed a contract extension that ran through 2012. It was the type of deal that both sides could consider a win, giving Jammer long-term financial security but at a reasonable price to the team. The result has been a constancy rarely rivaled. Of course, no current Charger can match Jammer’s 11 seasons with the team. Moreover, throughout the NFL, just 21 current defensive players have participated in more games than Jammer. The five others who have done so with one team: Casey Hampton, Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher, Ronde Barber and Adrian Wilson. And now, it’s coming to a close. “I think about it all the time,” Jammer said. “Everything I’ve been through – the ups and downs, being a part of this organization for such a long time. Not to know my future is weird, different.” We don’t know for sure who will be making the Chargers’ football decisions in 2013, and we don’t know for sure what they think of the current personnel. But given that Jammer, 34, is in the final year of his contract and there are two young corners who are ripe for more playing time, it seems inevitable. What Jammer figured was his final Wednesday came and went. “I really think about it on days like this after practice,” he said then. “And when I get home after and it’s just me in the house. It’s tough.” His final Friday was over before he could slow it down. “I was sitting in meetings this morning kind of like, ‘Wow! This could be my last Friday practice,’ “ he would remember later. Ahead is the strangest Sunday, unprecedented in his long career, and then an unwilling fall into the unknown. “It’s definitely hard to play with that burden, because you think about it,” Jammer said. “I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t.” Jammer has for at least five years expressed a willingness to someday play safety, if necessary, to extend his career. Someday has possibly arrived. While current Chargers decision makers have repeatedly dismissed the idea, there is no telling what a new staff will think. “That’s one of the things you always think about – depth at corner or depth at safety,” Jammer said. Yes, he has even reached the point where he is at least saying he could take a backseat. “Whatever my future holds, I’m going to back up somebody some day,” he said. “It’s going to happen eventually.” He wants to keep playing, and he’ll do it wherever or however. Even today, in a game of virtually no consequence for the Chargers, Jammer will be Jammer. “It’s still football,” he said. “I’ve got a job to do. Regardless of whatever is going to happen ... As long as I can play, I’m going to play.” Jammer has never once said or done anything that has pointed at himself on the field or selfishly insisted we should watch him. But, today, in probably our final opportunity to do so, we should.
Sad story for Charger fans...capping an excruciatingly sad (and frustrating) season for Charger fans. Thanks for your service and dignity, QJ.
He'd still make a damn good strong safety and make some team very happy. I only hope it would be with the bolt's.
He's still a damn fine tackler, and with the injury to Taylor and Bigby becoming a UFA I think Jammer should absolutely get a 1 year deal to play SS for us.
Yeah, he can still bring the lumber and SS would be a perfect fit for him at this point. He deserves a shot just because of his loyalty to the team, if he can't make the cut then it's on him.
Dunno. Depends on how much contact at the line he'd be allowed to make. It will be interesting to see and why I'm rather hopeful that the new coaching staff (or maybe Pagano throws him a bone) go to bat for Q after Norv is gone. Norv was always the only one I ever heard echo the "I don't see him as a safety" sentiment. Jammer has always maintained he'd be willing to make the transition. Norv, an offensive coach, is the one who didn't see a safety in this particular corner (mind you, this is the same Norv - and coaching staff - that took a guy that most analysts and some actual league scouts - or so I've heard from guys I talk to who have the opportunity to talk to actual scouts - saw as an underrated safety prospect in Gilchrist and insisted they play him at boundary corner for so long).
Second that ................ Always did his job without fuss or want for notoriety, loved that about the guy, just did what he was paid to do. Would still love to see what he could do at the Safety position, its not like we have an abundance of guys who have shown the ability to do the job along side Weddle, don't see awhole lot of downside in signing him to a one year deal to see how that works out. Could never question his ability to bring the physicality, but in todays game, maybe that would be more of a negative, than a positive, hard to say, but he's a guy who has earnt the opportunity to go out a one team player in my mind. Hats off to the Q, been a great player for this franchise after a dubious start, proved me wrong and I commend him for that.
Good person great effort better person. Thanks for everything Q even if you did cause me to hit my head against the Qualcomm railings a few times
I'd at least like to see him given a chance to play safety. If there is one thing I've always loved about him as a player it's the fact that he knows how to hit, and not in a Bob Sanders put your body on the line and get hurt doing it kind of way. A 1 year low cost deal to bring him back, give him a shot at safety, he can even play some CB if we have injury issues elsewhere.
I agree. I'd love to have him as a slot cb/safety. He has the physicality to play safety and the coverage skills to still drop down and cover the slot receiver.
Sorry, but MOST people as in over half of the world live and operate their whole lives under mental illness. Usually undiagnosed. Mental Illness doesnt jus stop at depression or insanity. Vanity is also a serious mental illness among our culture. If you cant handle existence or at least cant see it as a gift and not a burden, then sorry but you are stupid.
Jammer had a good career as a bolt. He could have been one of the best if he could catch the damn ball. It would be worth letting him tryout at safety.
I can't be the only one today, who thought: "Spectacular catch, Jammer!!! Wait...Jammer? On your final day in bolts...you become Charlie Joiner!?!"
you obviously have NO idea about mental illness, suffered from it, or know anyone who suffers from it, you just have the stupidity to write completely unfounded statements and post them on the internet. considering i suffer from mental illness, i take serious offense to your post, and frankly, shows just the sort of character that you are - obviously not of high genetics. well done.
How ironic that perhaps playing his last game as a Bolt he made the catch of his career. He's dropped more catchable balls week in week out. He should have been a SS 2 years ago, it was clear his corner play was regressing.
Anyone have video on his pick? I was otherwise engaged and couldn't stream the game over the internet.
