Mike Garafolo of NFL Media, citing multiple television sources and people with knowledge of his thinking, reports that free agent QB Jay Cutler is exploring a post-football career in broadcasting.
According to Garafolo, Cutler and his representatives have spoken with network executives about a potential TV role and he has even auditioned with at least one network in recent weeks.
As of now, Garafolo says that it remains to be seen whether Cutler is negotiating a contract with a network, but indications are that he’s serious about making this transition.
While that may be the case, Cutler’s football agent, Bus Cook, tells Garafolo that his client hasn’t retired and “as far as I know, he wants to play football and would play if the right offer came along.”
“You’d have to talk to Jay about that,” Cook said. “Any football player would be smart to explore his options in case he doesn’t play anymore. But Jay is as talented as any quarterback out there right now.”
There has been a lot of recent speculation about Cutler calling it a career, given that he hasn’t found the kind of interest from NFL teams some thought he would.
If Cutler plays in 2017, it may end up being the result of a team sustaining an injury to a starting quarterback or him agreeing to a backup role.
Cutler, 33, is a former first-round pick of the Broncos back in 2006. He spent three years in Denver before he was traded to the Bears in 2009. He was in the fourth year of his seven-year, $126.7 million contract that included $54 million guaranteed when the Bears cut him loose at the start of the 2017 league year.
In 2016, Cutler appeared in five games and throw for 1,059 yards while completing 59.1 percent of his passes to go along with four touchdowns and five interceptions.
We have him featured in our Top 50 Available Free Agents list.
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