John Mullin at CSNChicago.com let’s this little tidbit slip out as he addresses the Bears quarterback situation:
“The Bears may find themselves in a situation not entirely dissimilar from where they stood in the 2014 offseason and were faced with a decision on Josh McCown after his career-best stretch in relief of Cutler. Then-GM Phil Emery wanted [Jay] Cutler over the feelings of the coaching staff and signed Cutler to that $126 million contract.”
The coaching staff didn’t want Cutler? Since when?
Answer: Since Cutler appears to have one foot out the door and reporters can safely tell the real story.
Cutler in 2014 was coming off of one of his best seasons with the Bears. Though many still doubted whether he would be worth the money long-term, reports at the time were that everything was rainbows and roses between Cutler and the organization, that head coach Marc Trestman had turned Cutler around and and that the younger and more athletic Cutler had earned the contract extension over McCown.
It’s a funny thing about reports like this. You never really get the whole story until the players are out of the reporter’s sphere of influence. In this case, reporters are almost to a man positive that Cutler will not be with the organization next year. Trestman and Emery are already gone and with all of those involved safely out of town, these are the things that eke out.
I think its safe to say that more will come to light in the near future, especially after Cutler is finally released. It will, to say the least, be interesting reading.