Jay Cutler Plays His Best When His Job Is On the Line

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Jan 3, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears head coach John Fox high-fives Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) after his touchdown pass to Chicago Bears wide receiver Josh Bellamy (11) against the Detroit Lions in the second half of their game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports /

2015: The John Fox challenge

When he arrived to take over as head coach, John Fox did not mince words. He said he would not commit to Jay Cutler long-term as the teams’ quarterback. The 2015 season would essentially be an audition. If Cutler failed to perform, then Fox and Ryan Pace had no qualms about looking for options elsewhere. Neither of them held ties to Jay. Why would they feel any compulsion to keep him if he wasn’t going to help the team win football games?

In truth he ended up being their biggest reason for winning. Cutler had his most efficient season as a professional football player in 2015. He threw for 21 touchdowns to just 11 interception and engineered four 4th quarter comebacks. In essence he was solely responsible for two thirds of the teams’ entire win total last year. That was more than enough to get Fox and Pace on board with the idea of moving forward with him under center in 2016.

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