In Chicago history, no athlete’s words have been more scrutinized than Jay Cutler’s.
Now he’ll use them as a Fox analyst.
To commemorate Cutler’s retirement Friday, here are some of his most memorable quotes from an eight-year Bears career:
2009
April 3: “I think both sides would possibly do a few things differently. But everything happens for a reason. That’s behind.”
— At his introductory news conference with the Bears after forcing his way out of Denver
Sept. 20: “Didn’t throw four picks.”
— On how he turned things around in a victory over the Steelers a week after throwing four interceptions in the season opener against the Packers
Dec. 2: “I’m going to get a lot of blame, and I’m aware of that, and a lot of it should come my way. I know Brian’s frustrated. I’m frustrated. There’s not much we can do. [Urlacher] doesn’t have to apologize to me. I talked to him. I understand what he’s talking about.”
— After Urlacher told Yahoo Sports, “I hate the way our identity has changed” under Cutler
Dec. 30: “I was just pointing at the clock. I didn’t understand why they were booing. There were eight seconds left.”
— Responding to allegations he gave Bears fans the finger as the clock ticked down in regulation in a game against the Vikings that the Bears eventually won 36-30 in overtime
2010
Oct. 24: “I’ve played against [DeAngelo Hall] before. There’s no reason to shy away from him. That’s hard for me to say after throwing four picks to a guy. Still, if we had to play them tomorrow, I’d still go after him every time if we could.”
— After the Redskins cornerback had four interceptions, one for a 92-yard touchdown, in a 17-14 Bears loss
2011
April 8: “I was gone, and I stayed away from it all. But I can’t say it didn’t bother me that people questioned my toughness and desire to play. I think I’ve been through a lot here in Chicago, and I would have loved to play.”
— Months after fans doubted his departure during the NFC title game with a torn medial collateral ligament in his knee
Oct. 16: “Tell Mike Martz I said, ‘[Screw] him.’”
— Talking about his then-offensive coordinator as he broke the huddle in the third quarter of a nationally televised game against the Vikings.
2012
Sept. 13: “I care about this. This isn’t just a hobby for me. I’m not doing this for my health. I’m trying to win football games. I’m trying to get first downs, and when we’re not doing the little things, not doing the things the right way consistently, I’m going to say something. If they want a quarterback that doesn’t care, they can get somebody else.”
— Defending his screaming at tackle J’Marcus Webb, whom he told, “Get your [expletive] head in the game” in a 23-10 loss to the Packers
Oct. 1: “It wasn’t about anything. I don’t have to sit by him the whole game, do I?”
— When asked why he walked away when coordinator Mike Tice sat down to talk during a victory against the Cowboys
2013
Sept. 9: “I think I’m older, a little bit more mature. In my younger days, it might have been a little bit more rocky than it is right now.”
— On working with quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh
Dec. 15: “I’d be lying if I didn’t say there was [pressure], with everything on the outside, as well as Josh [McCown] has played.”
— On the pressure to beat the Browns in his return from a sprained left ankle after backup quarterback McCown’s star turn
2014
Jan. 2: “There are definitely people going to be saying this was the wrong move. That’s fine. That’s their opinion.”
— After signing his seven-year, $126.7 million contract
Dec. 12: “When you just got paid a big contract and you’re a quarterback, that’s part of the deal, part of the job. To say it doesn’t affect me, I don’t know if that’s true or not. I’m human just like everybody else.”
— After coordinator Aaron Kromer tearfully apologized for suggesting to a national reporter that the Bears had buyers’ remorse about Cutler
Dec. 18: “Yeah, it definitely crossed my mind, for sure.”
— On if he thought he had played his last down for the Bears after being benched for Jimmy Clausen
2015
July 30: “No one really likes their ex-girlfriend just after a breakup.”
— To NFL Network, about former teammate Brandon Marshall’s criticism
2016
Jan. 4: “Still here. Everybody’s kind of probably taken a shot to get rid of me. It hasn’t worked so far. I’m happy to still be here.”
— On his staying power
Aug. 3: “Most receivers and tight ends are always open. So hopefully [Patriots quarterback] Tom [Brady], I guess, can do a better job of finding him than I did.”
— Sarcastically, when asked about former teammate Martellus Bennett’s claim that Cutler would throw into double coverage rather than to him
Sept. 16: “I get paid enough to play football, and with kids and everything else, you’ve got to factor that in. Your free time is your free time. You can’t get any more free time. You can’t buy it. You can’t find it on the street.”
— On not doing endorsements
Sept. 20: “I’m fine with that. He’s a passionate guy. . . . No one likes to lose in that type of fashion. He’s upset. I’m upset. Everyone is upset in that locker room right now.”
— On linebacker Pernell McPhee yelling at him on the sideline during an eventual loss against the Eagles
Nov. 20: “These games that you lose and you definitely have a chance to win, those are the ones that keep you up at night.”
— After losing 22-16 to the Giants, throwing an interception on what would be the final pass of his career
2017
Friday: “There was a lot of Bears apparel and stuff that I kept. Someone asked me, ‘Why are you keeping that?’ I was like, ‘I was a Bears fan as a kid.’ . . . I’m not going to not be a Bears fan just because they released me and I’m not playing anymore. I’m happy to go back to being a Bears fan with all the Chicago loyal fans. That’s kind of where I started.”
— to ESPN Radio
They Say About Jay …
Memorable quotes about Jay Cutler from his former Bears bosses and teammates:
Oct. 21, 2014: “No matter how you analyze the history of quarterbacks in the NFL, if you have a winning record, you are an elite player at that position.”
— Then-general manager Phil Emery, defending Cutler
Oct. 22, 2014: “Financially, he is one of the elite guys in the NFL. He just hasn’t produced like an elite quarterback. You look at the Bradys, the Mannings, the Rodgers, the Breeses, those guys win every year, even with no one around them.”
— Brian Urlacher, to 88.7-FM The Game.
Oct. 4, 2015: “They threw rocks at Jesus, and Jesus was an excellent guy who did a lot of awesome stuff.”
— Tight end Martellus Bennett, on whether Cutler was too often criticized
March 14: “He was the quarterback here for a lot longer than a lot of the other quarterbacks that I played with in most of the years that I was here. We went to one [NFC] Championship [Game]. Unfortunately, we probably should have went to more.”
— Former linebacker Lance Briggs
Friday: “I guess I know a different guy than what everybody else portrays. I think a lot of things that have been said in the past have really been [b.s].”
— Dolphins coach Adam Gase, Cutler’s offensive coordinator in 2015, talking to Miami reporters
Follow us on Twitter @patrickfinley and @MarkPotash.
Email: pfinley@suntimes.com, mpotash@suntimes.com
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