The Chicago Bears have had no shortage of training camp favorites over the years. One that a lot of people probably remember is Daniel Braverman. He emerged on the national stage in 2015 for Western Michigan, posting over 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns during his junior season. He chose to go pro after that and ended up being drafted in the 7th round by the Chicago Bears.
Hopes were high that he might become that diamond in the rough find on offense the Bears have sought for years. Sadly it didn’t pan out. Braverman appeared in just three games and never caught a pass with the team. Still, for as brief as his time was in Chicago he had his fair share of experiences. On and off the field. Perhaps no player left a more indelible impression on him than Jay Cutler.
During an interview with The Checklist, he explained what sort of impression the quarterback had.
“Playing with Jay Cutler was cool because he’s definitely a one-of-a-kind type of guy.”
How does he know that? Braverman went on to tell the story of the first time he ever met Cutler in person. Suffice to say it didn’t exactly go how one would’ve expected.
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“My rookie year I just got there. I didn’t have like socks or tights or something like that. So I just walked to the equipment room and he’s like, ‘What are you doing in here?’ with his straight-faced look. I was like, ‘I don’t have socks.’ He’s like, ‘What are you doing?’ I’m like, ‘I’m here for socks’ and he’s like ‘Get out.’ So that was like my introduction.”
Daniel Braverman learned Cutler could be rough with receivers
This is hardly an isolated incident. Cutler has a longstanding reputation for having been non-receptive to unfamiliar players or people. He was particularly tough on receivers. He would take one look at a guy and could pass judgment on whether they were worth his time or not. One can only imagine how he was to rookies. Given he’s a conservative at heart, he’s likely one of those guys who would’ve embraced the old school hazing rituals.
Either that or the QB wanted to see how Braverman would respond. There’s no way to know for sure. Both men were gone from the team after that season anyway. Would things have gone differently for the receiver if he’s arrived in Chicago just one year later? Probably. Mitch Trubisky would’ve been far more welcoming if nothing else.
Even so, it’s another fun story that only enhances the legend of Cutler.