Jay Cutler retires from NFL, joins Fox as commentator
Jay Cutler has retired from the NFL and has signed a deal with Fox Sports to serve as color commentator on games starting this fall, according to Fox Sports writer Peter Schrager:
NEWS. It's official. Jay Cutler has been hired by @nflonfox . Will join Kevin Burkhardt and Charles Davis in the booth this season.
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) May 5, 2017
Cutler’s agent had previously indicated that Cutler would play again this season, but some combination of factors, likely including unavailable jobs or insufficient contract offers, apparently led the ex-Bears QB to reconsider.
Cutler leaves the NFL having played in 139 games, with a career quarterback record of 68 wins, 71 losses. He has a completion percentage of 61.9 percent, with 32,467 career passing yards and 208 touchdowns. He played three seasons in Denver and eight in Chicago. Despite the Bears’ hopes and a huge contract, Cutler couldn’t make magic happen in Chicago, and last season head coach John Fox apparently indicated he was “done” with Cutler. Shortly afterward, Cutler injured his shoulder, ending his season and, apparently, his career.
Cutler offered up the following statement on his retirement:
From Jay Cutler on his decision to head to the broadcast booth: pic.twitter.com/NF1kqqGz05
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) May 5, 2017
No word yet on whether Cutler has officially filed retirement papers, which means that he’d be eligible to jump back into the fray should a team come calling. But his duties at Fox might well preclude him from any further stints under center unless his agent was able to work up a flexible contract. Either way, we haven’t seen the last of Cutler, and apparently haven’t heard the last of him either.
____
Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports and the author of EARNHARDT NATION, on sale now at Amazon or wherever books are sold. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter or on Facebook.
