The latter-day appreciation for Jay Cutler — which mystifies some Bears fans — seemed to reach a new level last week when defensive end Akiem Hicks cited Cutler’s “winning personality” as a big reason he left the Patriots — and Tom Brady (!) — in free agency.
“Jay Cutler being one of the reasons why I signed [with] the Chicago Bears, knowing that he has a winning personality and a great arm to back it up,” Hicks said when asked about Cutler’s return from a sprained thumb after missing five games. “I look forward to him being back on the field.”
And then Cutler did his best Brady imitation against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night at Soldier Field. Facing the No. 3-ranked defense in the NFL after a six-week layoff, Cutler shook off some early rust and led the Bears to victory. He completed 20-of-31 passes for 252 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions for a 100.5 passer rating. The next best rating against the Vikings’ defense this season is Marcus Mariota’s 86.5. Aaron Rodgers could muster only a 70.7 (at U.S. Bank Stadium). He was the first quarterback to not throw an interception against the Vikings defense.
But it was more than just the numbers that stood out. Cutler also was credited with stoking his teammates to a maximum effort with an inspirational pre-game speech.
“He was able to go there and perform at the level he did and not only have his teammates rally around him, but be led by him,” Bears quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone said. “Like I told him after the game, it was great to watch that and be a part of that. You get to see a lot of different sides of jay — not just on the field but on the sideline — how he is with his coaches and teammates. And I appreciated the effort from the first play to the last.”
It’s not a new thing that Cutler is a leadership figure on the Bears. His position, his age, his 11 years in the NFL and his status as the longest tenured Bears player almost forces him into that role. But this was the best example of his teammates not only hearing him and listening to him, but responding to him.
“When he speaks, people listen,” Ragone said. “His leadership skills through action and through being verbal — guys respond to it. I think that’s more a testament to them knowing that he’s putting in the work. They know how much it means to him. He’s a dedicated professional. His teammates around him understand him. And I think that’s contagious.”
This is Ragone’s first season with the Bears. He doesn’t know the 26-year-old Cutler who arrived in Chicago in 2009 and struggled to fit in on a veteran team and in a new city. He sees a leader maybe even more than a quarterback.
“My appreciation for him more than anything else is first and foremost as a person,” Ragone said. “I get to spend every day with him. And to see what kind of person he is, it’s really no surprise to me how his teammates responded to him and what he was able to do [against the Vikings] and how guys rallied around him. He’s a genuinely really, really good human being — and people appreciate that and you can see that from his teammates.”
It remains to be seen what it all means. Just when it appeared unlikely Cutler would return next season — the $2 million cap hit for 2017 makes it easy for general manager Ryan Pace to look at other options — Cutler makes you think again. And it’s not just his performance. When’s the last time the Bears played as well against a standout defense without starters as valuable as Josh Sitton and Kyle Long? Other quarterbacks get credit for things like that — Cutler deserves his share. If that’s the effect he’s starting to have on his team — a big if, indeed — it opens up some interesting possibilities for the Bears.
