| Birth Place: | Lodi, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Position1: | Wide receiver |
| College: | Rutgers |
| Playing Years1: | 1993 |
| Playing Team1: | San Diego Chargers |
| Playing Years2: | 1994–1997 |
| Playing Team2: | Baltimore Stallions |
| Career Highlights: | |
James Guarantano is a former American football wide receiver for the NFL's San Diego Chargers and the CFL's Baltimore Stallions. He was also a former standout wide receiver while playing college football at Rutgers University.
Raised in Lodi, New Jersey, Guarantano played prep football at Lodi High School.[1]
Guarantano played for Rutgers from 1989 to 1992.
In the 1991 season, Guarantano collected 740 yards, on 62 receptions, which was tops in the Big East.[2] That was highlighted by a game against Temple on November 17, 1991, when Rutgers clinched its first winning season in four years. Guarantano caught a 70-yard touchdown pass, allowing the Scarlet Knights to finish with a 6–5 record, their first winning season since going 6–5 in 1987.[3] Following the season, he was named to the All Big East Second-team.
Guarantano would follow that up in 1992 with 56 receptions for 755 yards (13.5 yards per catch) and six touchdowns. One of those touchdowns came in a dramatic victory over Pittsburgh on September 18, 1992. Guarantano caught a 33-yard score to send Rutgers to a 7–0 halftime lead, and Rutgers would go on to win 21–16.[4] For his efforts, Guarantano was named to the All Big East First-team, and was a UPI Honorable Mention All American.[5]
When Guarantano graduated in 1992, he left as one of the most prolific receivers in school history. Guarantano was second All-Time in Scarlet Knight history in yards (2,065), first in receptions (158) and third in touchdowns (11).[6] In 1999, he was inducted into the Rutgers football Hall of Fame.[7]
Guarantano discussed a possible contract with the New York Giants[8] before he signed as an undrafted free agent with the San Diego Chargers on April 30, 1993. He was released on May 5, 1993.[9] [10] [11] Following his stint in the NFL, Guarantano would play for the Baltimore Stallions (now the Montreal Alouettes) of the CFL from 1994 to 1997.[12]
Following his professional football career, Guarantano became a police officer in the NYPD.[13] Guarantano's son, Jarrett Guarantano, was one of the top quarterbacks in New Jersey's 2016 high school class, and is a former starting QB at the University of Tennessee before transferring to Washington State. He chose the Vols over Rutgers University, his dad's alma mater, and Ohio State University.[14]