The Chicago Bears had long been a franchise without a marquee quarterback when the team acquired Jay Cutler from the Denver Broncos.
Cutler was on the up and up as a gunslinger capable of throwing the deep ball with proficiency. He had just come off a 4,000-yard passing season, and the Bears hoped he would be the quarterback of the future in Chicago.
But Cutler's Bears tenure was a mixed bag, as he went 51-51 in Chicago and made the playoffs just once.
Former Bears receiver and return specialist said Cutler's poor leadership was at the center of many of the team's problems in the early 2010s.
“He’s the best quarterback when it comes to accuracy, power, knowledge of the game,” Hester said, via Bleacher Report. “When it comes to leadership—the worst.”
Chicago went 7-9 in Cutler's first year under center, and he also threw a league-high 26 interceptions.
The next year seemed to hold more promise. Chicago led with a more balanced rushing attack, and Cutler made just enough plays to help guide the team to the NFC Championship Game. But the Bears lost to the Green Bay Packers, and would never recover.
Cutler began to struggle with injuries and, even when healthy, he struggled to get on the same page with star receivers like Brandon Marshall.
Attitude and commitment questions followed Cutler almost everywhere he went, and he was released by the Bears in 2017, retiring after a final run with the Miami Dolphins.
The craziest part of the Cutler saga is he is almost certainly the most talented signal-caller in franchise history. But Hester feels Cutler's poor leadership skills might have kept the team from reaching its full potential.
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