Jake Plummer

{{Short description|American football player (born 1974)}}

{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Jake Plummer

| image = Jake Plummer (cropped).jpg

| caption = Plummer at Luke Air Force Base in 1998

| position = Quarterback

| number = 16

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1974|12|19|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Boise, Idaho, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 2

| weight_lbs = 212

| draftyear = 1997

| draftround = 2

| draftpick = 42

| high_school = Capital (Boise)

| college = Arizona State (1993–1996)

| pastteams =

| highlights =

| statlabel1 = Pass attempts

| statvalue1 = 4,350

| statlabel2 = Pass completions

| statvalue2 = 2,484

| statlabel3 = Percentage

| statvalue3 = 57.1

| statlabel4 = TDINT

| statvalue4 = 161–161

| statlabel5 = Passing yards

| statvalue5 = 29,253

| statlabel6 = Passer rating

| statvalue6 = 74.6

| pfr = PlumJa00

| CollegeHOF = 2440

}}

Jason Steven "Jake" Plummer (born December 19, 1974) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils. Plummer was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 1997 NFL draft, spending six seasons with the Cardinals and then four with the Denver Broncos.

Since retiring from the field, he launched Umbo, a functional mushroom supplement company alongside former UFC Champion Rashad Evans.{{Cite web |last=Gabriel |first=Parker |date=2022-07-09 |title=From NFL QB to mushroom farmer: Jake Plummer's life-altering journey into the queendom of fungi |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/broncos/2022/07/09/jake-plummer-mushroom-farm-mycolove-nfl-quarterback/10009803002/?gnt-cfr=1Career%20transition |url-access=subscription |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=USA Today}} He subsequently founded MyCOLove Farm in Fort Lupton, Colorado to better understand mushrooms and mycology.

His nickname, "Jake the Snake", has no connection to professional wrestler Jake "the Snake" Roberts.{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSw1kvje2pA | title=Jake Plummer on Bo Nix, his real name, Mike Shanahan and his relationship with Pat Tillman | website=YouTube | date=August 16, 2024 }} Coincidentally, Plummer and Roberts each adopted the nickname as a tribute to former Oakland Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler, who was nicknamed "Snake."{{cite web | url=https://prowrestling.net/artman/publish/InterviewHighlights/article10012178.shtml | title=WWE legend Jake Roberts says "The Snake" nickname was inspired by an NFL great, recalls a WWE wrestler who was cruel to Damien, says Ultimate Warrior was "a blithering idiot" }}

Early life

Plummer was born in Boise, Idaho; he and his two older brothers grew up in Smiley Creek. They were often at the family lumber mill and warehouse in the town of 50 in the Sawtooths (the mountains of the Sawtooth Range).{{cite magazine|first=Chris|last=Ballard|title=What Was He Thinking?: You have to wonder why a red-blooded American male in his prime would walk away from fame and fortune as an NFL quarterback to play handball and hang with his family and his dogs. Don't you?|date=February 14, 2011|publisher=Time Inc|magazine=Sports Illustrated|url=https://www.si.com/vault/2011/02/14/106035675/what-was-he-thinking|access-date=February 20, 2017}}

In his youth, Plummer attended Pierce Park Elementary and Hillside Junior High. In third grade at Pierce Park, he started going by Jake after being asked by his teacher to use a different name because there were four other students named Jason.{{cite podcast|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_zNfBgTdfU|title=Not Your Average Duo|publisher=Denver Broncos|host=Brad Williams|date=June 1, 2024|access-date=October 17, 2024}} He graduated from Capital High School in 1993, where he was a three-sport star in high school, playing baseball and basketball in addition to football; he was also selected all-state as both a quarterback and punter and passed for 6,097 yards and 68 touchdowns in his junior and senior years.{{cite web |url=http://www.nflhs.com/news/playersspotlight/jakeplummer_10012003_sim.asp |title=Player Spotlight: Jake Plummer |access-date=December 15, 2008 |last=Raffel |first=John |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060520174228/http://www.nflhs.com/news/playersspotlight/JakePlummer_10012003_sim.asp |archive-date=May 20, 2006 }} He originally wanted to play football at Stanford, but they only offered him a preferred walk-on offer; he instead accepted a full ride from California until Hue Jackson, then a coach at Arizona State, heavily recruited Plummer and eventually convinced him to recommit to the Sun Devils. He also received scholarship offers from Boise State, Idaho, Montana, Oregon State, Washington State, and Wyoming.{{cite web |title=An Article from 1996 about Jake Plummer in High School |date=October 24, 1996 |url=https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Sun-Devils-QB-Plummer-Master-of-the-Comeback-3497039.php}}

College career

Plummer accepted a football scholarship to Arizona State University in Tempe. He did not redshirt and took over as the starting quarterback (from Grady Benton) early in his freshman season in 1993. He had consistent, but not outstanding, statistical output during his career, and never led the Pac-10 in any major statistical category.{{cite web|title=Jake Plummer College Stats|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/jake-plummer-1.html|website=Sports Reference|language=en}} He threw for an impressive 1,650 yards in his freshman season, but also had seven interceptions to just nine touchdowns.{{cite web |title=Jake Plummer College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/jake-plummer-1.html |website=College Football at Sports Reference |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=May 4, 2024}} He broke 2,000 yards in 1994 as a sophomore, and upped his touchdowns to 15. As a junior in 1995, his 2,222 yards and 17 touchdowns, many coming at pivotal moments in games, earned him a strong fan base and all-conference honors despite a lackluster 6–5 record.{{cite web|last1=Crowley|first1=Kerry|title='Summer of Legends' No. 16 Jake Plummer|url=http://www.houseofsparky.com/2013/8/16/4628318/asu-football-summer-of-legends-no-16-jake-plummer|website=House of Sparky|date=August 16, 2013}}

His senior season in 1996 was arguably the best in school history. Arizona State attracted national attention on September 21 when they shut out top-ranked Nebraska {{nowrap|19–0}} to snap the Huskers' 26-game winning streak. Plummer evaded a sack to toss a 25-yard touchdown on the game's opening drive, and finished 20 of 36 for 292 yards, setting a new school record for career passing yards in the process.{{cite news|title=Football: No. 17 Arizona State 19, No. 1 Nebraska 0|url=http://www.thesundevils.com/sports/2013/4/17/208250213.aspx|work=www.thesundevils.com|agency=Associated Press|language=en}} He led ASU to an undefeated regular season and a Pac-10 championship,{{cite web |last1=C. |first1=Bill |title=1996 had a classic upset, a classic Rose Bowl, and a terrifying national champion |url=https://www.footballstudyhall.com/2016/4/15/11429570/1996-college-football-florida-arizona-state-ohio-state-florida-state |website=Football Study Hall |date=April 15, 2016 |publisher=SB Nation |access-date=May 4, 2024}} aided in no small part by fellow all-conference linebacker and close personal friend Pat Tillman. In the Rose Bowl, he scored a sensational 11-yard go-ahead touchdown run late in the fourth quarter, but Ohio State responded and won {{nowrap|20–17.}}{{cite news |last1=Brennan |first1=Shane |title=ASU football legends remember the 1997 team before Sun DEvils' last game at Rose Bowl |url=https://www.statepress.com/article/2023/11/asu-rose-bowl-retrospective-1997-football-ohio-ucla |access-date=May 4, 2024 |publisher=The Arizona State Press |date=November 9, 2023}} A victory likely would have meant a national championship as the only undefeated team in the nation, but their final ranking was fourth. Plummer was third in the Heisman Trophy voting behind Florida's Danny Wuerffel and Iowa State's Troy Davis,{{cite web|title=1996 Heisman Trophy Voting |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman-1996.html |website=Sports Reference |language=en |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120525102111/http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman-1996.html |archive-date=May 25, 2012 }} was a first-team All-American, and the Pac-10's Offensive Player of the Year.{{cite web |title=Jake Plummer |url=https://www.cfbhall.com/news-and-happenings/blog/jake-plummer/ |website=College Football Hall of Fame |access-date=May 4, 2024}}

Plummer ended his career with several school records; most have since been surpassed, but his 34 games with a rushing or passing touchdown remains an ASU record.{{cite news |last1=Fortuna |first1=Matt |title=2019 College Football Hall of Fame Profile |url=https://footballfoundation.org/news/2019/11/8/2019-college-football-hall-of-fame-profile-jake-plummer.aspx |access-date=May 4, 2024 |publisher=National Football Foundation |date=November 8, 2019}} A dedicated student, Plummer was also a two-time Academic All-Conference player. A 2013 review listed Jake Plummer as the best player to wear number 16 in Sun Devil history.

=College statistics=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
rowspan="2"| Season

! rowspan="2"| Team

! rowspan="2"| GP

! colspan="7"| Passing

CmpAttPctYdsTDIntRtg
1993Arizona State

| 9 || 102 || 199 || 51.3 || 1,650 || 9 || 7 || 128.8

1994Arizona State

| 11 || 159 || 294 || 54.1 || 2,179 || 15 || 9 || 127.1

1995Arizona State

| 11 || 173 || 301 || 57.5 || 2,222 || 17 || 9 || 132.1

1996Arizona State

| 11 || 179 || 313 || 57.2 || 2,575 || 23 || 9 || 144.8

colspan="2"| College career || 42 || 613 || 1,107 || 55.4 || 8,626 || 64 || 34 || 133.8
colspan="2"| School rank{{As of|2017}}; see article Arizona State Sun Devils football statistical leaders or the [http://www.sundevilguides.com/football/#145/z|2016 ASU Media Guide] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025235122/http://www.sundevilguides.com/football/#145/z%7C2016 |date=October 25, 2016 }} || — || 4th || 3rd || — || 3rd || 4th || —

Professional career

{{NFL predraft

| height ft = 6

| height in = 2 1/4

| weight = 195

| dash = 4.96

| ten split = 1.71

| twenty split = 2.93

| shuttle = 4.29

| cone drill = 7.30

| vertical = 30.0

| broad ft =

| broad in =

| bench =

| arm span = 33

| hand span = 9 1/4

| wonderlic =

| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |url=https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=23051 |title=Jake Plummer, Combine Results, QB - Arizona State |website=nflcombineresults.com |access-date=January 28, 2022}}

}}

=Arizona Cardinals (1997–2002)=

Plummer was selected in the second round of the 1997 NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals.{{Cite web |title=1997 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1997/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-30 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} He played behind Kent Graham and Stoney Case at the start of his rookie season. He took his first snap late in the 4th quarter of the seventh game, and promptly led the Cardinals on a 98-yard drive, going 4-of-6 for 87 yards and capping it with a 31-yard go-ahead touchdown. He led the Cardinals to three of their four victories that year. Already locally popular from his days at ASU, according to teammate Chad Carpenter he was now treated "like a god. We go to a restaurant and people stand up and clap when he walks by." In 1998, the Cardinals drafted Plummer's friend Pat Tillman, and the two started all sixteen games en route to a 9–7 regular season record. In the tenth game against Dallas Cowboys, he threw for a stellar 465 yards and three touchdowns. In the playoffs, he led the Cardinals to an upset of the same Cowboys for the franchise's first postseason victory since 1947,{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/crd/playoffs.htm|title=Arizona Cardinals Playoff History|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com}} before losing in the second round to the Minnesota Vikings.

Plummer had a disappointing season in 1999; he went 3–8 as a starter, threw nine touchdowns to 24 interceptions, and the Cardinals finished 6–10. Regarding Plummer's season, the Football Outsiders commented: "At the start of the 1999 season, Jake Plummer was being celebrated as one of the NFL's best young quarterbacks, the man who would make the Cardinals respectable again. By the end of the 1999 season, Plummer ranked as the league's worst quarterback."{{cite web|url=http://www.footballoutsiders.com/dvoa-ratings/2005/1999-dvoa-ratings-and-commentary|title=Football Outsiders: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis – 1999 DVOA Ratings and Commentary|work=footballoutsiders.com|access-date=June 7, 2011|archive-date=August 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816110655/http://www.footballoutsiders.com/dvoa-ratings/2005/1999-dvoa-ratings-and-commentary|url-status=dead}} His reputation as a risk-taking "gunslinger" became a liability. In 2000 Plummer threw for 2,946 yards, 21 interceptions, and had a 66.0 quarterback rating. Although he reached 10,000 career passing yards (in 47 starts), Plummer compiled a 3–11 record and the Cardinals finished last in the NFC East.

Plummer bounced back in 2001 with his best statistical season with the Cardinals. He was one of only two NFL quarterbacks to take every snap for his team (Kerry Collins was the other), and he passed for 3,653 yards, eighteen touchdowns, and fourteen interceptions. During the season, he had a stretch of 142 consecutive pass attempts without throwing an interception. Plummer also led the NFL in fourth-quarter passing yards (1,227) and the Cardinals to a 7–9 record.

Plummer's last season with the Cardinals was 2002 and again his statistics were down (65.7 passer rating, 2,972 yards, eighteen touchdowns and twenty interceptions). On September 22 against the San Diego Chargers, he eclipsed 15,000 career passing yards.

{{As of|2017}}'s NFL off-season, Jake Plummer held at least nine Cardinals franchise records, including:

  • Passing TDs: rookie season (fifteen in 1997), rookie game (four on 1997-12-07 WAS)
  • Passer Rating: rookie game (119.1 on 1997-11-30 PIT)
  • Sacked: game (ten on 1997-11-30 PIT), rookie season (52 in 1997)
  • Yds/Pass Att: rookie season (7.44 in 1997)
  • Pass Yds/Game: rookie season (220.3 in 1997)
  • 300+ yard passing games: playoffs (two)

=Denver Broncos (2003–2006)=

File:Jake Plummer.jpg

After spending 5 seasons in Arizona, Plummer signed as a free agent with the Denver Broncos in 2003, replacing Brian Griese. Though the laid-back Plummer would clash often with the domineering head coach Mike Shanahan, his guidance helped Plummer finish with a career-high 91.2 quarterback rating. On September 22, he had the longest run by a Broncos QB on Monday Night Football, a 40-yard scramble in a 31–10 win over the Oakland Raiders.{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200309220den.htm|title=Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos – September 22nd, 2003 – Pro-Football-Reference.com|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com}} He led the Broncos to a wild card playoff berth, where the Broncos were beaten 41–10 by the Indianapolis Colts.

In 2004 he matched or surpassed several of Broncos Hall of Fame QB John Elway's passing records (including passing yardage and passing touchdowns in a single season). In the opening game victory against Kansas City, he reached 20,000 career passing yards. In the eighth game, he threw for a spectacular 499 yards and four touchdowns against Atlanta. However, continuing a career-long shortcoming, he also threw three interceptions in the loss, and led the league that season with twenty. He led the Broncos to a second straight wild card playoff berth, but the Broncos were again beaten by the Colts 49–24, despite Plummer's 103.1 passer rating in the contest.

In 2005, Plummer experienced arguably his best season as a professional. He threw 229 passes without an interception, the longest such streak of his career. He also began serving as Denver's holder, which he would continue to do through the 2006 season, as well. Along the way, Plummer helped the Broncos compile a 13–3 record, a #2 seed, and a first round bye in the AFC playoffs (behind the Colts). He also earned a Pro Bowl selection. The Broncos' first game was against the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional Game at Invesco Field. Although not outstanding, Plummer's performance (15-for-26 for 197 yards, one touchdown, one interception) helped the Broncos break the Patriots' winning streak of eleven postseason games and gain their first postseason victory since Super Bowl XXXIII. However, Plummer accounted for four turnovers in the AFC Championship game and the Broncos were defeated 34–17 by the eventual Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

On November 27, 2006, after a lackluster performance in the first eleven games, and following back-to-back losses to the San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs, head coach Mike Shanahan announced that Plummer would be replaced at starting quarterback by rookie Jay Cutler. The decision to hand a 7–4 team over to a rookie quarterback was met by fans and media with mixed reactions.{{cite web |url=http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=6292 |title=Cutler to Start |access-date=November 29, 2006 |last=Mason |first=Andrew |date=November 27, 2006 |publisher=DenverBroncos.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061129040145/http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=6292 |archive-date=November 29, 2006 |url-status=dead }} Those who viewed Plummer as inconsistent heralded the change as one that would revive the Broncos' struggling offense;{{cite news|url=http://www.denverpost.com/ci_4722797 |title=Start the Cutler era |access-date=August 23, 2008 |last=Klis |first=Mike |date=November 26, 2006 |publisher=denverpost.com }} others claimed such a move was ill-advised, especially given that Plummer had guided the Broncos to the AFC Championship game the year before; Plummer had also been 40–18 with Denver in both regular season and playoff games, while leading his teams to thirty game-tying/winning drives in his career, a league high. In the last game of the season, Plummer came off the bench against the San Francisco 49ers after Cutler suffered a concussion. He played the remainder of the first half before Cutler played the second half.

As of the 2017 NFL off-season, Plummer holds at least two Broncos franchise records, including:

  • Passing Yards: game (499 on 2004-10-31 ATL)
  • Passer Rating: playoff season (103.1 in 2004)

=Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2007)=

On March 3, 2007, Plummer was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a 2008 conditional draft pick. However, rumors began to surface that Plummer was going to choose retirement over competition with the Buccaneers' four other quarterbacks on the roster (Bruce Gradkowski, Tim Rattay, Jeff Garcia, and Luke McCown).{{cite news| url=http://www.denverpost.com/ci_5340491 | title=Plummer refuses to take trade | publisher=DenverPost.com | date=March 2, 2007 | access-date=March 2, 2007 | author=Bill Williamson}} On March 9, Plummer ended the speculation by announcing his decision to retire. Plummer also confirmed his retirement through the Jake Plummer Foundation's website.{{cite news| title= Plummer: I'm really retiring | date= March 3, 2007 | publisher=DenverPost.com | url=http://www.denverpost.com/ci_5351843 | first=Mike | last=Klis | access-date=March 13, 2015}}

Since he was still under contract to the Buccaneers and had already been given his contract signing bonus, Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden met with Plummer in July to try to convince him to reconsider and report for training camp.{{cite web|url=http://www.pewterreport.com/articles/view/3143 |title=Bucs News & Notes July 26, 2007 |publisher=PewterReport.com |date=July 26, 2007 |access-date=July 26, 2007 |author=Jim Flynn |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927211029/http://www.pewterreport.com/articles/view/3143 |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |url-status=dead }} However, the attempt was unsuccessful and the team sued for recovery of the bonus. A settlement was finally reached on June 10, 2008, in which Plummer was required to pay back $3.5 million to the Buccaneers.{{cite news| url=http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_9534656 | work=Denver Post | first=Mike | last=Klis | title=Plummer, Bucs reach settlement | date=June 10, 2008}}

NFL career statistics

class="wikitable"

! colspan="2"| Legend

style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"|

| Led the league

Bold

| Career high

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Team

! colspan="3"| Games

! colspan="8"| Passing

! colspan="5"| Rushing

GPGSRecordCmpAttPctYdsAvgTDIntRtgAttYdsAvgTD
1997 || ARI

| 10 || 9 || 3–6 || 157 || 296 || 53.0 || 2,203 || 7.4 || 15 || 15 || 73.1 || 39 || 216 || 5.5 || 2

1998 || ARI

| 16 || 16 || 9–7 || 324 || 547 || 59.2 || 3,737 || 6.8 || 17 || 20 || 75.0 || 51 || 217 || 4.3 || 4

1999 || ARI

| 12 || 11 || 3–8 || 201 || 381 || 52.8 || 2,111 || 5.5 || 9 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 24 || 50.8 || 39 || 121 || 3.1 || 2

2000 || ARI

| 14 || 14 || 3–11 || 270 || 475 || 56.8 || 2,946 || 6.2 || 13 || 21 || 66.0 || 37 || 183 || 4.9 || 0

2001 || ARI

| 16 || 16 || 7–9 || 304 || 525 || 57.9|| 3,653 || 7.0 || 18 || 14 || 79.6 || 35 || 163 || 4.7 || 0

2002 || ARI

| 16 || 16 || 5–11 || 284 || 530 || 53.6 || 2,972 || 5.6 || 18 || 20 || 65.7 || 46 || 283 || 6.2 || 2

2003 || DEN

| 11 || 11 || 9–2 || 189 || 302 || 62.6 || 2,182 || 7.2 || 15 || 7 || 91.2 || 37 || 205 || 5.5 || 3

2004 || DEN

| 16 || 16 || 10–6 || 303 || 521 || 58.2 || 4,089 || 7.8 || 27 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 20 || 84.5 || 62 || 202 || 3.3 || 1

2005 || DEN

| 16 || 16 || 13–3 || 277 || 456 || 60.7 || 3,366 || 7.4 || 18 || 7 || 90.2 || 46 || 151 || 3.3 || 2

2006 || DEN

| 16 || 11 || 7–4 || 175 || 317 || 55.2 || 1,994 || 6.3 || 11 || 13 || 68.8 || 36 || 112 || 3.1 || 1

colspan="2"| Total[http://www.nfl.com/player/jakeplummer/2502499/profile Jake Plummer NFL Profile]. NFL.com. Retrieved March 19, 2013. || 143 || 136 || 69–67 || 2,484 || 4,350 || 57.1 || 29,253 || 6.7 || 161 || 161 || 74.6 || 428 || 1,853 || 4.3 || 17

Handball

Since his retirement from the NFL, Plummer has been an avid player of four-wall handball. He attended his first professional handball tournament in 2007 when he entered the Simple Green US Open of Handball (with brother Eric) in the pro doubles division where the pair lost to future Hall of Fame members John Bike and Danny Bell. In 2008, Plummer hosted his own pro invitational and lost in the finals of the pro consolation bracket to #37 ranked, Jeff Kastner. Also in 2008, Plummer lost in the semifinals of the 2008's Idaho State Singles Championships to his brother (the eventual champion).{{cite news|url=http://www.denverpost.com/ci_7220039 |title=Plummer's handball odyssey |access-date=October 22, 2007 |last=Hammond |first=Rich |date=October 19, 2007 |publisher=denverpost.com }}{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=clemmons/081112&sportCat=nfl |title=Where in the world is Jake Plummer? Playing handball |access-date=November 17, 2008 |last=Clemmons |first=Anna Katherine |date=November 17, 2008 |work=espn.com }}

{{update|date=August 2021}}

Personal life

Plummer married former Broncos cheerleader Kollette Klassen on August 26, 2007, whom he met in 2005. In June 2010, Kollette gave birth to the couple's first child. After retiring from the NFL, Plummer moved to Sandpoint, Idaho (though the couple also has a house in Boulder, Colorado) where he lives in relative anonymity. His former agent Leigh Steinberg said he is "one of the minuscule few that I could see living a completely fulfilled life away from sport... he was as close to an egoless major star as I've seen." When a concerned Meals on Wheels supervisor in Sandpoint insisted that a jobless, "scruffy", long-time volunteer who worked for her, keep track of the miles he drove for the organization for reimbursement, she was "dumbstruck" to discover he was a former NFL star.

The lifestyle contrasted with the somewhat rocky moments during his playing days with much attention devoted to flipping off a fan, a loud traffic dispute, and a feud with a Denver gossip columnist. Plummer has also stirred controversy with his support of medical marijuana, which he claims to use regularly to deal with lingering post-football injuries,{{cite news |last=Cook |first=Brandon |date=December 8, 2014 |title=A Personal Look At Marijuana Policy |publisher=Whaxy |url=https://www.whaxy.com/news/nfl-marijuana-policy-interview |url-status=dead |access-date=March 13, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402192342/https://www.whaxy.com/news/nfl-marijuana-policy-interview |archive-date=April 2, 2015}} and hostile reaction to Jerry Jones' dismissal of NFL players with brain injuries.{{cite web |last1=Petchesky |first1=Barry |date=June 29, 2016 |title=Jake Plummer Has Some Thoughts For "Billionaire Asshole" Jerry Jones |url=http://deadspin.com/jake-plummer-has-some-thoughts-for-billionaire-asshole-1782807494 |website=Deadspin}} Plummer also started an Alzheimer's foundation, made time during his career to walk dogs at a shelter he donated $10,000 to on retirement, and developed personal connections with children affected by 9/11.

On June 27, 1997, he struck a plea agreement rather than fight charges alleging that he grabbed four women at a nightclub in Tempe, Arizona. He received two years probation, was fined $1,020, and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service.{{cite news |last1=Tribune |first1=Chicago |title=Plummer Gets Probation in Sex-Abuse Case |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1997/06/28/plummer-gets-probation-in-sex-abuse-case/#:~:text=Quarterback%20Jake%20Plummer%20struck%20a,100%20hours%20of%20community%20service. |access-date=May 4, 2024 |publisher=Chicago Tribune |date=June 28, 1997}} Probation ended after only 9 months due to exemplary behavior with a court spokeswoman stating, "He has done everything we have asked of him, more in fact, significantly more."{{Cite web |title=Jake Plummer Gets Off Probation |url=https://apnews.com/article/d1a6220127343fbbaf03b9df2550ba94 |access-date=2023-04-05 |website=AP NEWS |language=en}}

In September 2007, Plummer was inducted into the Arizona State Hall of Fame. Later that year, he made a brief appearance in the 2007 Holiday Bowl, when he introduced the ASU players prior to the team playing game. On October 29, 2010, Plummer was honored, along with all Sun Devil Quarterbacks, at a Legends Luncheon hosted by the Arizona State University Alumni Association and Sun Devil Club. Other honorees included Danny White, Andrew Walter, John F. Goodman, and Jeff Van Raaphorst.{{cite web|url=http://alumni.asu.edu/news/asu-alumni-association-honor-sun-devil-quarterbacks-oct-29-luncheon |title=News |work=ASU Alumni Association |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100922105058/http://alumni.asu.edu/news/asu-alumni-association-honor-sun-devil-quarterbacks-oct-29-luncheon |archive-date=September 22, 2010 }} Plummer has been an assistant football coach at Sandpoint High School since 2009.{{cite web|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/more/wires/04/17/2080.ap.fbh.plummer.high.school.0201/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111023045107/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/more/wires/04/17/2080.ap.fbh.plummer.high.school.0201/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 23, 2011|publisher=Sports Illustrated.com|agency=Associated Press|title=Jake Plummer coaching at Sandpoint High|date=April 17, 2009}}

Relationship with Pat Tillman

Plummer was a teammate of Pat Tillman, a safety, at both Arizona State and the Arizona Cardinals and the two were close friends. After the 2001 season, while Plummer was still with the Cardinals, Tillman joined the U.S. Army Rangers in response to 9/11. During leave in January 2004, the two showed up unannounced at a handball tournament in Seattle in support of Jake's brother, Eric.

After Tillman's death in Afghanistan on April 22, 2004, all NFL players wore a memorial decal on their helmets on September 24 in honor of Tillman and the Cardinals continued to wear this decal throughout the 2004 season. Plummer by this point was with the Broncos, requested to wear the decal for the entire season, but the NFL turned him down because his helmet would not be the same as the rest of his team. For the 2005 season Plummer grew an untrimmed, full beard and wore his hair long in honor of Tillman, who had worn that style in the NFL before he cut his hair and shaved off his beard in accordance with military uniform regulations. Plummer gave Tillman's funeral eulogy in a suit and flip-flops in honor of his friend's trademark style.

Medical cannabis advocacy

{{See also|Cannabis and sports}}

Plummer uses cannabidiol (CBD) to treat the pain, inflammation, and headaches that he has experienced as a result of his years playing football.{{cite magazine|last1=Plummer|first1=Jake|title=Jake Plummer's Plan to Alleviate Pain for Players|url=https://www.si.com/mmqb/2016/07/03/jake-plummer-monday-morning-qb-pat-tillman-cannabinoids-pain-nfl|access-date=February 19, 2018|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=July 4, 2016}} He says that his condition improved so much after he started taking CBD that he considered a return to the NFL, almost a decade after retiring.{{cite news|title=Jake Plummer pushes NFL to research possible marijuana benefits|url=https://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/jake-plummer-denver-broncos-marijuana-cbd-oil-benefits-cte-concussions-031616|access-date=February 19, 2018|work=Fox Sports|date=March 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160519210615/https://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/jake-plummer-denver-broncos-marijuana-cbd-oil-benefits-cte-concussions-031616|archive-date=May 19, 2016|url-status=dead}} He has served as a spokesperson for CW Botanicals, a company which manufactures CBD products. He has also helped raise funds for cannabinoid research.{{cite news|last1=Jhabvala|first1=Nicki|title=Jake Plummer, Realm of Caring team up for another Broncos game-day experience to benefit cannabinoid research|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2017/10/26/jake-plummer-realm-of-caring-cannabinoid-research/|access-date=February 18, 2018|work=The Denver Post|date=October 26, 2017}}

In November 2016, Plummer was one of the signatories of an open letter addressed to the NFL, urging a change in the league's policy towards cannabis.{{cite news|last1=Jhabvala|first1=Nicki|title=Players, Doctors for Cannabis Regulation pen letter to NFL urging policy reform|url=http://www.denverpost.com/2016/11/11/players-doctors-for-cannabis-regulation-pen-letter-nfl/|access-date=February 18, 2018|work=The Denver Post|date=November 11, 2016}} Doctors for Cannabis Regulation wrote the letter and it was signed by several NFL players.{{citation |title=An Open Letter to the National Football League |url=https://dfcr.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/NFL-open-letter.pdf |publisher=Doctors for Cannabis Regulation |date=November 11, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113230751/https://dfcr.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/NFL-open-letter.pdf |archive-date=January 13, 2020 |url-status=dead}} He is also a member of the Doctors for Cannabis Regulation NFL steering committee.{{cite web |title=NFL Campaign |url=https://dfcr.org/nfl-campaign/ |website=Doctors for Cannabis Regulation |access-date=October 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191028061541/https://dfcr.org/nfl-campaign/ |archive-date=October 28, 2019 |url-status=dead}}

References

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