Jamar Fletcher


Jamar Mondell Israel, born Jamar Mondell Fletcher, is an American former college and professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League for eight seasons in the early 2000s. He played college football for the University of Wisconsin, and was a two-time All-American. The Miami Dolphins chose him in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft, and he also played professionally for the San Diego Chargers, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans and Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL.

Early years

Fletcher was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He played high school football for Hazelwood East High School in St. Louis.

College career

Fletcher attended the University of Wisconsin, where he played for the Wisconsin Badgers football team from 1998 to 2000. He was a key member of the Badgers' back-to-back Rose Bowl championship teams, and remains the Badgers' all-time career interceptions record holder with 21 total interceptions in three seasons of college football. He was named a first-team All-American by multiple selector organizations in 1999, and was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American in 2000. He was also named to the Top 100 Greatest College Players list by America's Best & 10.

Professional career

Miami Dolphins

Fletcher was originally a first-round pick in the 2001 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. He played 41 games for Miami from 2001 to 2003.

San Diego Chargers

In 2004, Fletcher was traded to the San Diego Chargers. He played for them in 2004 and 2005.

Detroit Lions

It was announced that Fletcher signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Lions on May 1, 2006. He had a career-high three interceptions for the Lions that season.

Houston Texans

In 2007 Fletcher signed with the Houston Texans.

Cincinnati Bengals

Fletcher signed with the Cincinnati Bengals on September 23, 2008. After becoming an unrestricted free agent following the 2008 season, he went unsigned. He was re-signed on August 2, 2009 after rookie cornerback David Jones injured his foot. The Bengals released Fletcher on August 29, ending his NFL career.

Personal life

His older brother, Jason Fletcher, is a prominent professional sports agent.
His younger brother Anthony Fletcher was a nicely recruited All-State WR at Dallas Spruce.