Jay Cutler facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jay Cutler

Cutler with the Chicago Bears in 2015
No. 6
Position:	Quarterback
Personal information
Born:	(1983-04-29) April 29, 1983 (age 42) Santa Claus, Indiana, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	231 lb (105 kg)
Career information
High school:	Heritage Hills (Lincoln City, Indiana)
College:	Vanderbilt (2001–2005)
NFL Draft:	2006 / Round: 1 / Pick: 11
Career history
Denver Broncos (2006–2008) Chicago Bears (2009–2016) Miami Dolphins (2017)
Career highlights and awards
Pro Bowl (2008) 100 greatest Bears of All-Time SEC Offensive Player of the Year (2005) First-team All-SEC (2005) Indiana Football Hall of Fame (2022)
Career NFL statistics
Passing attempts: 4,920 Passing completions: 3,048 Completion percentage: 62.0% TD–INT: 227–160 Passing yards: 35,133 Passer rating: 85.3
Player stats at PFR

Jay Christopher Cutler (born April 29, 1983) is a former American football quarterback. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. Jay spent most of his career with the Chicago Bears. He holds many team records for the Bears, including most passing yards and touchdowns.

Cutler played college football at Vanderbilt University. In his senior year, he was named the Southeastern Conference Offensive Player of the Year. The Denver Broncos picked him in the first round of the 2006 NFL draft. He played three seasons with the Broncos and was chosen for the Pro Bowl in 2008.

In 2009, Cutler was traded to the Bears, where he played for eight seasons. His best season was in 2010. He led the Bears to win their division and reach the NFC Championship Game. After leaving Chicago, Cutler played one final season with the Miami Dolphins. In 2019, he was named one of the 100 greatest Bears of All-Time.

Early Life and High School Football

Jay Cutler was born in Santa Claus, Indiana, in 1983. He went to Heritage Hills High School in Lincoln City, Indiana. Jay was the starting quarterback for three years. His team had an amazing 26–1 record in his junior and senior years. This included a perfect 15–0 season in his senior year.

During his senior year, Cutler completed 122 of 202 passes for 2,252 yards. He also threw 31 touchdowns. He ran the ball 65 times for 493 yards and 11 touchdowns. Jay also played safety for three years. In his senior year, he caught nine interceptions. His team won the school's first 3A state championship. They beat Zionsville 27–24 in overtime.

Cutler was named a first-team All-State player in his senior year. Besides football, he was also a first-team all-state player in basketball. He scored 1,131 points in basketball. He also played baseball as a shortstop. Growing up in Indiana, Cutler was a big fan of the Chicago Bears.

College Football Career

Cutler went to Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. He played as a quarterback for the Commodores. He started all 45 games he played, which is a school record. He never missed a game in college due to injury.

In 2002, Cutler set school records for touchdowns and rushing yards by a freshman. He was named first-team freshman All-SEC. In 2004, he completed 61.0% of his passes. This was a school record at the time. He threw for 1,844 yards and 10 touchdowns.

His final year, 2005, was his most successful. He completed 273 passes for 3,073 yards and 21 touchdowns. He became the first Vanderbilt player since 1967 to win the SEC Offensive Player of the Year award. He led the Commodores to wins over Wake Forest, Arkansas, and Tennessee.

Cutler finished his college career by leading Vanderbilt to a 28–24 win over Tennessee. This was their first win against Tennessee since 1982. He threw for three touchdowns and 315 yards in that game. Cutler set many school career records. These include total offense (9,953 yards) and touchdown passes (59).

He graduated from Vanderbilt in 2005. In 2016, he was added to the Vanderbilt Athletics Hall of Fame.

College Statistics

Season	Team	Passing									Rushing
		Cmp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/A	TD	Int	Sck	Eff	Att	Yds	Avg	TD
2001	Vanderbilt	Redshirt
2002	Vanderbilt	103	212	48.6	1,433	6.8	10	9	17	112.4	123	393	3.2	9
2003	Vanderbilt	187	327	57.2	2,347	7.2	18	13	16	127.7	115	299	2.6	1
2004	Vanderbilt	147	241	61.0	1,844	7.7	10	5	24	134.8	109	349	3.2	6
2005	Vanderbilt	273	462	59.1	3,073	6.7	21	9	23	126.1	106	215	2.0	1
Career		710	1,242	57.2	8,697	7.0	59	36	80	125.9	453	1,256	2.8	17

Awards and Honors in College

• The Sporting News third-team freshman All-American (2002)
• Associated Press first-team freshman All-SEC (2002)
• First-team All-SEC (2005)
• SEC Offensive Player of the Year (2005)
• Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award finalist (2005)
• Maxwell Award Semifinalist (2005)
• Davey O'Brien Award Finalist (2005)
• Manning Award Finalist (2005)
• Sammy Baugh Trophy Finalist (2005)
• Vanderbilt Athletics Hall of Fame (2016)

College Records

Jay Cutler holds several school career records at Vanderbilt University:

• Total offense: 9,953 yards
• Combined touchdowns: 76

Professional Football Career

Before the NFL draft, many experts thought Cutler was one of the top quarterback prospects. He showed great arm strength and athleticism at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Denver Broncos (2006–2008)

Cutler preparing for the Titans in a 2007 MNF game.

Cutler joined the Denver Broncos in 2006. He quickly moved up the team's depth chart. On November 27, his coach announced that Cutler would become the starting quarterback.

In his first NFL game, Cutler threw his first touchdown pass. He also threw a long 71-yard touchdown to Brandon Marshall. His first win came in his third start against the Arizona Cardinals. He became the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to throw at least two touchdowns in each of his first four games. He finished his rookie season with a record of 2–3. He threw for 1,001 yards and nine touchdowns.

The 2007 season was Cutler's first full year as a starter. He led the Broncos to several comeback wins. He threw for 3,497 yards and 20 touchdowns. Many experts started to say Cutler could become an elite quarterback.

In 2008, Cutler was voted an offensive captain by his teammates. He started the season strong, leading the Broncos to a 4–1 record. He had a career-high 447 passing yards in a comeback win against the Cleveland Browns. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Month in September. Cutler was also selected for the Pro Bowl in 2008. He finished the season with career-highs in passing yards (4,526) and touchdowns (25). These were single-season franchise records for the Broncos at the time.

Chicago Bears (2009–2016)

Cutler points out the mike linebacker during training camp, 2009

In 2009, Cutler was traded to the Chicago Bears. He signed a contract extension with the team. His first season with the Bears was a mix of good and bad games. He threw 27 touchdowns but also led the league with 26 interceptions.

Cutler in 2010

The 2010 season was very successful for Cutler and the Bears. They started 3–0. Cutler led the team to an 11–5 record and an NFC North title. They also earned a first-round bye in the playoffs. Even though he was sacked a lot, Cutler threw for 3,274 yards and 23 touchdowns. In his first playoff game, he had two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns. This helped the Bears win 35–24 against the Seattle Seahawks. In the NFC Championship Game, Cutler left early due to a knee injury. The Bears lost to the Green Bay Packers.

In 2011, Cutler broke his thumb and missed the rest of the season. The Bears struggled without him and missed the playoffs. In 2012, the Bears brought in Brandon Marshall, Cutler's former teammate. Cutler had a strong start to the season, leading the Bears to a 7–1 record. He finished the season with 3,033 passing yards and 19 touchdowns.

Marc Trestman looks on as Cutler practices in 2014.

In 2013, the Bears hired a new coach who helped protect Cutler better. Cutler had a career-high 89.2 passer rating. He also set a franchise record for passing yards in the first six games. He tore a groin muscle later in the season but returned to play. He broke Sid Luckman's franchise record for career passing yards. On January 2, 2014, Cutler signed a seven-year deal with the Bears.

The 2014 season was tough for the Bears, who finished 5–11. Cutler threw a career-high 28 touchdowns but also led the NFL with 18 interceptions. In 2015, Cutler had one of his best seasons. He finished with 3,629 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, and only 11 interceptions. His passer rating (92.3) and completion percentage (64.4%) were career-highs.

In 2016, Cutler played only five games due to injuries. He injured his right thumb and later his throwing shoulder. On March 9, 2017, the Bears released Cutler. He then announced his retirement from football and planned to become a TV commentator.

Miami Dolphins (2017)

On August 3, 2017, the Miami Dolphins quarterback got injured. The Dolphins asked Cutler to come out of retirement. On August 7, Cutler signed a one-year contract with the Dolphins. This reunited him with his former Bears coach, Adam Gase.

Cutler started 14 games for the Dolphins. He led them to a 19–17 win against the Los Angeles Chargers in his first game. He also had a great game against the New England Patriots, throwing three touchdowns in a win. He finished the season with 2,666 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. The Dolphins did not make the playoffs. After the season, Cutler said he would only continue playing if he could be a starter.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular Season

Postseason

Awards and Honors in the NFL

• Pro Bowl (2008)
• AFC passing yards leader (2008)
• AFC Offensive Player of the Month (September 2008)
• AFC Offensive Player of the Week – (Week 10, 2008)
• Two-time NFC Offensive Player of the Week – (Week 16, 2009; Week 12, 2010)
• Six-time FedEx Air Player of the Week – (Week 10, 2008; Week 13, 2008; Week 14, 2008; Week 16, 2009; Week 1, 2010; Week 9, 2017)

Chicago Bears Team Records

As of 2022, Jay Cutler holds at least 12 Chicago Bears team records, including:

• Most career completions (2,020)
• Most completions in a season (384 in 2008)
• Most career pass attempts (3,271)
• Most pass attempts in a season (615 in 2008)
• Most career passing yards (23,443)
• Most career passing touchdowns (154)
• Most passing touchdowns in a playoff game (2 on January 16, 2011, tied with 3 others)
• Most career times sacked (251)
• Most times sacked in a game (9 on October 3, 2010, tied with 2 others)
• Highest career passing yards per game (229.8)
• Most career 300+ yard passing games (16)
• Most 300+ yard passing games in a season (4 in 2014, tied with others)

Other team records (as of 2022):

• Highest Completion Percentage in a Single Season: 66.0% (2014)
• Most 4th Quarter Comeback Wins in a Single Season: 4 (2010 and 2015)
• Most Career 4th Quarter Comeback Wins: 16 (2009–2016)
• Most Game Winning Drives in a Single Season: 4 (2009, 2010, and 2015)
• Most Career Game Winning Drives: 18 (2009–2016)
• Most Wins as a Starting Quarterback: 51 (2009–2016)

In the Media

Jay Cutler has appeared in popular culture:

• An animated version of Cutler was in the TV show South Park. He thought it was funny.
• He was on an episode of Oprah's Big Give in 2008.
• After the Bears lost games in 2011, a song called "Cutty Come Back" was made. It was a parody of "Baby Come Back".
• An internet meme called "Smokin' Jay Cutler" shows pictures of him looking calm with a cigarette added. Cutler said he "gets a kick out of that."
• In 2013, Cutler played himself in an episode of the comedy show The League.
• He appeared on the reality show Very Cavallari from 2018 to 2020.
• In 2023, he became a panelist on the weekly highlight show Inside the NFL.

Personal Life

Cutler (#6, top row, far right) with teammates and Marines at Buckley Air Force Base in 2006.

Cutler started dating Kristin Cavallari in 2010. They got engaged in 2011 and married on June 7, 2013, in Nashville, Tennessee. They have two sons and one daughter. In April 2020, Jay and Kristin announced they were getting a divorce. Their divorce was finalized in June 2022.

Volunteer Work and Health

Cutler does volunteer work with young people who have developmental disabilities. He works with Vanderbilt's "Best Buddies" program. In 2007, he started the Jay Cutler Foundation. This foundation helps young people at risk to finish high school.

On May 1, 2008, Cutler shared that he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. He needs daily insulin shots to manage it. He works with "Dedicated to Diabetes," an organization that helps people learn more about diabetes. In 2009, he teamed up with Eli Lilly and Company for a campaign called "Touchdowns For Diabetes." For every touchdown he threw, money was donated to send children to diabetes camp.

In 2012, Cutler visited a school in Chicago to talk about diabetes awareness.

Business Ventures

In 2021, Cutler started a meat subscription service called CUTS. He also launched his podcast "Uncut" a few months later. In 2022, Cutler started Gratis Brewing, a brewery in Nashville. He is also a founding partner in Outsider.com, a digital media company.

Images for kids

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  Cutler passes in a game against the San Francisco 49ers in 2009

• 

  Cutler on January 2, 2011, against the Green Bay Packers.

• 

  Cutler talking to Brandon Marshall at Bears Training Camp in 2012

See also

In Spanish: Jay Cutler (quarterback) para niños