Jay Cutler endured a lot in his NFL career. Not just the skepticism and sometimes outright hatred of the media. The guy also took a ton of vicious hits on top of that. Some serious beatings that may have sent less tough individuals into early retirement. Cutler persevered and ended up claiming every noteworthy Chicago Bears passing record by the time he departed in 2017.

People could question his personality and his leadership. They could never question his toughness. The guy was gritty to the core. However, he does admit playing in the NFL came at a cost. Cutler says he suffered several concussions in his career. This has him fearful of CTE later in life. Something that has plagued a number of football players over the years. During an interview with GQ magazine, he admitted his memory isn’t as sharp as it once was.

One wouldn’t blame him for having regrets about his career choice.

A lot of former players admitted in the past that if given a second chance, they probably wouldn’t have played football had they known the consequences at the time. Is Cutler one of them? Not in the slightest. When asked if he’d do it all again if given the choice, the former quarterback didn’t hesitate with his answer. Absolutely he would. Despite the pains he went through, the benefits far outweighed the drawbacks.

Are you interested in life extension, like living to 150?

No chance. [laughs] I think I’ve damaged enough things and brain parts and heart and everything in my life, if I make it to 80, or anything after that, I’ll be happy.

Is that something you think about: CTE, the concussions, and the toll that took?

Oh, absolutely. I would say definitely my memory isn’t the same as it was 5 years ago. The amount of concussions I’ve had are probably in the double digits. It’s gonna catch up to me at some point. I’m just trying to delay it as much as possible.

Given the risks, if you could do it all over, would you play again?

Absolutely I would. I wouldn’t even question it. I’d sign up in a heartbeat.

Wow. Even with some of the things that might be ahead of you?

Oh, absolutely. The relationships that I made, the memories that I have, the lifestyle it’s accustomed me and my kids [to]. It outweighs the benefits. In my mind. There may be some people that say, hey, that’s crazy. But I’d do it all over again, no question about it.

This is another reminder that Cutler enjoyed his time in Chicago. Despite all the criticisms about his personality, he genuinely loved being the quarterback for the Bears. He wouldn’t have endured all those hits for so long if he didn’t. As time has gone on, it’s nice to see fans have grown more appreciative of what he accomplished. While it could’ve been better, the reality is Cutler gave this city the best QB play it’s seen in the Super Bowl era over a multi-year span.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE2rnuPOQ1c&t=3s&ab_channel=ChicagoBears

Jay Cutler probably thinks he arrived too early

The former QB has made it clear on multiple occasions he is a big fan of Bears head coach Matt Nagy. It isn’t hard to see why. The guy speaks quarterback more than any predecessor before him. He’s a leader and also runs a system that is among the most quarterback-friendly in the NFL. It isn’t hard to imagine how fun it might’ve looked seeing Cutler in Nagy’s offense. They would seem like such a natural fit.

Sadly the quarterback arrived in the league just a few years too soon. Had he come to Chicago and began his run just three years later than he did? He and Nagy likely would’ve crossed paths. Maybe that would’ve finally been the key to unlocking the potential the Bears were never quite able to in eight seasons. Another of those big what-ifs scattered throughout franchise history.

It doesn’t matter.

Jay Cutler had his time in Chicago. There were some dazzling highs and ugly lows. One thing is for sure. No Bears fan is likely to forget it. The guy demanded attention, for better or worse. It is nice to know his love of football hasn’t faded after retiring.