Did Jay Cutler make the right choice, when demanding to be traded, and who benefitted the most, from his decision? There are two sides to every story, or at least there should be, so let's examine this situation from both perspectives, before drawing our own conclusions, shall we? Cutler has indicated that he was happy things worked in his favor in the end, but he might have alienated many Denver Broncos fans in the process, who are still seeking a successor to the legendary John Elway, and restore the renowned franchise to prosperity.
How many starting quarterbacks have taken over the helm that John Elway has held for 16 years, with the Denver Broncos? Brian Griese was the first, followed by Gus Frerrote, Steve Beuerlein, and Jake Plummer, until he was replaced by Cutler. Each quarterback had their moments, either while with the Broncos, or with other teams they played for. Frerrote, Plummer, and Cutler, have surpassed some of Elway's team records for passing yards in a game or season, but none have ever led the Broncos to the Super Bowl, like Elway did 5 times in his career, which is still a record for appearances by a starting quarterback. Of course, many successful players in all sports have never experienced playing for a championship, or even come close, but one should not be judged primarily by their ability, or lack thereof, to lead their teams to a title, as the tenure of a professional athlete, and their accomplishments, should not go unnoticed. A player must have made some good contributions to their teams, in order to remain on their roster, or in the league, for an extended time, and their ability to persevere and overcome adversity, also helps determine one's success in professional sports. We are all going to have our off days, when things don't seem to go our way, no matter what we do, or how hard we try, but that is a part of life we must learn to accept, and handle accordingly. Among those starting quarterbacks who have replaced Elway since his retirement, only Griese and Plummer have led the Broncos to the playoffs. Plummer had a winning record after coming to Denver, which he had been unable to achieve with some previously inept Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals' teams, and then he seemed to play his worse, when it mattered most, during the championship game loss to Pittsburgh in 2006, so the Broncos drafted Jay Cutler the following season, as his eventual replacement. Cutler compiled some impressive statistics with the Broncos, in his 3 seasons with the team, and even though his record was a paltry 17-20, he established himself as a good quarterback in the league, especially after discovering he was a diabetic, and after seeking treatment to alleviate the symptoms that affected his performance during the 2007 season, he led the AFC in passing yards, was only sacked 11 times (the fewest among starting quarterbacks), and was elected to the Pro Bowl for the first time, so the future looked bright for Cutler, and with all the free agency signings by the team in the offseason, Denver looked to be a playoff caliber team again, in 2009.
It was disappointing to see Denver squander their lead in the AFC West in 2008, as their collapse was more the result of the Broncos' ineffectiveness, rather than the Chargers' resurgence. After a fast start, and some "fairytale" endings in their early victories (San Diego and New Orleans), they suffered some tough losses, but managed to maintain their lead in the division, until the final week, when they saved their worse for last. I predicted that Mike Shanahan would probably lose his job, if Denver did not make the playoffs, which I did not want to happen, but I have no control over such decisions, and can only hope for the best. Cutler did not approve of all the changes in personnel with the Broncos during the offseason, as he endured the departures of his head coach, and quarterbacks' coach. When he learned he was mentioned in trade talks by new coach Josh McDaniels, he apparently felt the team considered him to be the scapegoat for the Broncos' failures, and their inability to make the playoffs during his term, and despites the team's efforts to communicate with him to resolve the matter, he grew more frustrated with the situation, and distanced himself from the team, stating their relationship was irreparable. Denver had a good offense, despite the inconsistency of their running backs due to injuries, but the defense was more to blame for allowing insurmountable leads by several opponents, which not many quarterbacks or teams, past or present, could have overcome. Cutler concluded that the team did not want him anymore, and wanted to make a fresh start elsewhere, which the Broncos accommodated, with his trade to the Chicago Bears, for Kyle Orton and draft picks. Was Cutler justified with his trade demands, or was McDaniels for his claim that "any attempts to potentially acquire a player who can contribute to the team's success, was worth considering"? Sure, Cutler was offended that the Broncos entertained thoughts of trading him, which were exaggerated after McDaniels indicated they were never serious about trading him, but Cutler was more a victim of wounded pride. I don't really blame Cutler for feeling as he did, because I know from personal experience, that when you work hard at any job, and you are not being respected and appreciated for your performance or contributions, it is inevitable that someone will suffer eventually, so you should try exploring other opportunities, before the decision is made for you, as you might not like the results. I've seen Jay Cutler do some amazing things, during his brief career with the Denver Broncos, and it's a shame things had to end this way, but I believe that is important that we be happy where we are, and with what we are doing, personally and professionally, in order to benefit everyone involved. The Broncos will prevail, and so will Cutler with the Bears. How will the Broncos do this coming season, and who will be their next starting quarterback? Stay tuned, as I look forward to the next chapter.
Keywords: Denver Broncos, Jay Cutler
