Jarrett Guarantano

Jarrett Guarantano's Biography

Jarrett James Guarantano, born on November 14, 1997, is recognized as an accomplished professional football player in the United States. He currently holds a position as a quarterback for the Houston Roughnecks, a team in the United Football League. His journey into the world of professional football has been fashioned by his noteworthy stints while playing college football for the Tennessee Volunteers and Washington State.

Hailing from Lodi, New Jersey, Guarantano’s initial interaction with football was during his years at Bergen Catholic where he was a celebrated football player. The sporting genes ran in the family, as his father, James Guarantano, was a notable figure in the sport as a wide receiver at Rutgers from 1989 to 1992. He achieved fame by being inducted into the Rutgers Hall of Fame and extended his career into the NFL and CFL.

While carrying his high school football career, Guarantano masterfully threw for 3,028 yards, rushed for 523 yards, and had 28 touchdowns. His impressive performance on the field won him All-Bergen County First-team honors, made him a top 4 dual-threat quarterback in the country, and a 2016 Under Armour All-American. Guarantano was undoubtedly one of the most sought after four-star recruits upon graduating from high school, with over 40 scholarship offers from various programs. However, he chose Tennessee.

In 2016, Guarantano’s first year at Tennessee, he had the opportunity to learn from senior Joshua Dobbs while he redshirted. He got his first shot at play in the 2017 season, serving as a backup to Quinten Dormady. He made his mark by throwing his first collegiate touchdown in Tennessee’s significant 42-7 victory over Indiana State. He then moved into a starting role against South Carolina, following a disheartening loss against Georgia.

The remainder of that season proved challenging to Guarantano and the Volunteers program as they only won one game against Southern Miss and ended up with a 4-8 record. This poor performance saw the exit of head coach Butch Jones. Despite the trying times, Guarantano ended his second year with a respectable 997 passing yards and four touchdowns.

In 2018, under the leadership of a new head coach, Jeremy Pruitt, Guarantano retained his starter role. He had an exceptional game against #21 Auburn, clinching a 30-24 victory, which saw him pass 328 yards and make two touchdowns. Unfortunately, despite his best efforts, the team could not make it to bowl eligibility, concluding the season with a 5-7 record.

2019 was a tough year for the Volunteers, kicking off with a disappointing loss to Georgia State. Guarantano was benched towards the mid-season, but his return following injuries to other players saw him lead the Volunteers to a 20-10 victory over Mississippi State. This upturn continued with his efforts towards a victory against South Carolina, Missouri, and Vanderbilt. The season respectfully ended with a 7-5 record for the Volunteers, and Guarantano made contributions of 2,158 yards, 16 touchdowns, and played in all 13 games.

Moving into the 2020 season with a #25 preseason ranking did not help the Volunteers much as the team’s performance began to spiral after an initial 2-0 start victoriously. Guarantano was benched halfway through the season after a series of injuries and defeats. Even though it was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he managed to make 1,112 yards and six touchdowns in just seven games.

2021 saw Guarantano transfer to Washington State where, unfortunately, a knee injury limited his appearances. However, he still managed to make 304 yards and one touchdown during his appearances. Despite the limitations of his final college season, Guarantano went undrafted in the 2022 NFL draft. Still, this did not bog him down, and he went on to sign a rookie UDFA contract with the Arizona Cardinals after a successful minicamp.

Guarantano’s journey with Arizona Cardinals was marked by participation in every pre-season game and then cuts, re-signings, releases, and tryouts with different teams like the Denver Broncos. Eventually, Guarantano found a new home with the Houston Gamblers of the USFL in December 2023. As fate would have it, the team soon transitioned to the Houston Roughnecks, and Guarantano’s journey continues with them.

Guarantano’s overarching journey speaks volumes about resilience and determination. A journey beginning with high school football rights, college fame, brief stints with multiple professional teams, and now as a quarterback for the Houston Roughnecks. It is nothing short of extraordinary. Despite his ups and downs in his sporting career, Guarantano’s talent, spirit, and perseverance make his journey a compelling saga in the realm of football.