Jay Cutler: 5 Things That Drove Him Towards Likely Retirement

Nov 13, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

Jay Cutler is one of the most fascinating football topics of the past decade in the NFL because of the wide-ranging debate he causes at every turn.

There are legions of fans who love him and what he brought to the field. Then there are those who utterly despise him. So it’s natural to know what each side is thinking when word leaked out that the 33-year old is contemplating retirement. Nothing is official yet but there is a general feeling that Cutler is ready to move on and focus on his family. This leads to the next inevitable question. If true, why? What was it that drove Cutler to this point?

Here are five things that deserve the most blame.

Injuries

Cutler has endured a lot of hits over his 10-year career. His caveman playing style could be to blame for that, along with a poor job done by his teams in protecting him. Not since 2009 has Jay managed to make it through an entire NFL schedule of 16 games without missing some time. Last year may have been the breaking point as he suffered two different injuries that forced him out of action. The latest being a torn shoulder ligament that required surgery. Sometimes enough is enough.

Coaching inconsistencies

If there is one thing that can be traced across the entire career arc of Cutler, it’s the bevy of coaches he played for. Things really began going off the rails for him when Mike Shanahan, the longtime head coach of the Denver Broncos was fired. That brought in Josh McDaniels who didn’t want him and thus he was traded to Chicago. Since then he’s had three different head coaches and a whopping six different offensive coordinators. At some point there is only so much change a guy can take.

Media blitz

Not being nice to the media has consequences. Over time Cutler was painted as a surly grump with attitude problems. His body language and toughness were called into question constantly. His knee injury suffered in the 2010 NFC championship and the crazy backlash he got for it was surreal. The guy has been painted as one of the bigger villains in the NFL, even though it’s not really deserved give so many better candidates for that title. Nevertheless he’s been the guy the reporters love to hate.

Lack of options

One would think being 33-years old and a man with 104 career starts under his belt would garner a little more attention in free agency. Having a rocket right arm and winning 52 games on top of that. Yet the incredibly quiet buzz around him offers a loud and clear message. The NFL doesn’t see him as a higher tier quarterback anymore. Not to mention the residual distractions his name will bring, both because of his past and his celebrity wife. That same woman who just posted Cutler’s rear end on Instagram.

Made his money

With hopes of winning a Super Bowl dashed years ago, what more does Jay Cutler really have to pay for? His love of the game has suffered for years from the beatings and the lack of support from many around him. On top of that, he no longer needs the money. Since 2012 alone he has made well over $50 million. All told his NFL career and endorsements likely brought in over $100 million. The guy is definitely not hurting for cash. To say nothing of his wife’s own net worth. Take money out of it, then there really is no reason for him to stay.

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