Getty Jay Cutler says he'd be open to speaking to and mentoring current Bears players.
Former Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has been spending his retirement perfecting his cornhole game, but he’s also open to returning to the team in a mentorship capacity.
Cutler returned to the Windy City to compete in the American Cornhole League Final Prelim “SuperHole” tournament, which took place July 1 through July 4. The event was in Bedford Park, and in addition to Cutler, featured ex-Bears tight end Zack Miller and Jarrett Payton, son of Bears legend Walter Payton.
Cutler and his partner, Jay Rubin, wound up winning the charity event and advanced to the championship finals, which will be held later in the summer.
SUPERHOLE CHAMPS 🏆
Jay Cutler ( @JayHasTweets ) & Jay Rubin take the W and are moving on to the Championship finals this summer! 🦾
While he was in town, Cutler spoke to Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times about his time in Chicago. “I think maybe now there’s a little more appreciation for what I did while I was here,” Cutler, who played his last season in Chicago in 2016, told Lieser.
The former QB also noted he’d be open to mentoring the team’s current players — if new head coach Matt Eberflus wants him to, that is.
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Eberflus Has Been Bringing Former Bears in to Speak With Team
Eberflus, who is in his first year as head coach of the Bears, told Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer in June that he has reached out “to more than 30 alumni” of the team, with several, including Charles Tillman, Gary Fencik and Richard Dent, already coming to Halas Hall to mentor and speak to the players.
Cutler says he’d certainly be willing to do that — but he’s not entirely sure if Eberflus has already reached out to him or not.
“I’m horrible with my phone, so there’s no telling,” Cutler told Lieser with a laugh. “He could’ve called me, maybe not — I have no idea. I don’t even check my voicemail. But I spent the most time with the Bears, I was a Bears fan growing up, my kids love watching Chicago, so it’s one of those things that if the opportunity arises and it works, I’d definitely be down for it.”
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Cutler Also Weighed in on Possible New Stadium
In an appearance on ESPN 1000’s Waddle & Silvy on June 30, Cutler also shared his feelings on his former team’s purchase of the Arlington Heights Racecourse property and their rumored intent to build a new stadium there.
“I don’t know if they’re going to move out, if they’re actually going to do that, but I hate that they’re going to be leaving the city at some point. It sucks,” Cutler said. “In the city, Soldier Field, you’re on the lake. I remember driving into the city and thinking ‘alright this is cool.’ … It was just a cool atmosphere of being in the city of Chicago, in the winter playing there. It just had an atmosphere and a vibe to it … They shouldn’t leave the city of Chicago.”
Cutty is also opposed to Soldier Field getting covered by a roof, which is an idea that has recently been floated by the city and mayor Lori Lightfoot.
“It’s home field. Leave it open,” Cutler said in reference to a dome.
Cutler played 102 games with the Bears, going 51-51 in those matchups. He spent his final season in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins in 2017 before officially retiring in 2018.