Hey, Jay Cutler, Hope You're Happy WIth Your Decision

Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen has announced that his team will be trading Jay Cutler.

And Cutler better be happy, because he got what he wanted yet his career may never be the same.

Sure, last year Cutler really broke out. I mean, he had a hell of a year. He went to the Pro Bowl, threw for 4,526 yards and 25 touchdowns, and led the second-ranked offense in the league. He finally secured himself as the one of the next big quarterbacks.

Then Mike Shanahan was fired and things began to unravel. Cutler let it be known that he wasn’t happy about losing the head coach he loved. The quarterback coach he had developed under and come to love working with ditched him for a job at USC and Cutler’s world fell apart.

That’s when Josh McDaniels was brought in to be the Broncos head coach. Off the bat Cutler didn’t like him, which is really too bad. McDaniels had just come off a season helping a quarterback who hadn’t started a game since high school become one of the prizes of the offseason.

That quarterback, Matt Cassel, became part of a trade between the Chiefs and the Patriots. The irreconcilable rift between Cutler and the Broncos started when it came out that McDaniels had entertained a trade that would bring Cassel in and ship Cutler out.

McDaniels has said he never considered trading Cutler until teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions approached him with a possible a three-way trade. But McDaniels and those other teams proved late to the dance when Cassel, packaged with linebacker Mike Vrabel, was sent to the Chiefs for a second-round draft choice.

To Cutler, this was a clear sign that McDaniels didn’t believe in him. To Cutler, this was such a sign of disrespect that he could hardly face his new coach. He’s demanded a trade and refused to get in touch with his coach and owner.

And now he’ll be traded. Traded away from a fan base that’s come to love him. Traded away from two young receivers who are set to be stars in this league. Traded away from a head coach whose offensive system produced a 50-touchdown passer in two years and turned a never-starter to a highly demanded commodity.

He could end up in Detroit. With one receiver and…um…

Or maybe he’ll end up in Tampa with a wide receiver who’s had one good year in his seven years with four different teams.

I hope he likes those situations, because personally I can’t believe those are really better than just manning up and putting up with a head coach you might not like. I mean, even if he ends up with a team like the New York Jets, who have let it be known they are interested in Cutler, he still won’t have the tools for passing success he has in Denver.

With this trade, Cutler is also go to have to deal with getting the reputation as a whiny quarterback. Not only that, but any team that ends up with Cutler will have to worry about keeping him happy. Because, apparently, if you don’t, he’ll make create a messy situation and demand to be traded.

I think Cutler needs to realize the truth. He’s in a great situation as it is. With Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal ready to fill the roles that Randy Moss and Wes Welker had so much success in, Cutler has the tools for more great seasons in Denver.

He should just realize that he doesn’t have to like a coach to play for him. You don’t have to be friends with your boss.

Not only that, but he only has two years left on his current contract. And when it’s up, he’ll be a 27-year-old elite quarterback ready to sign a fat contract with whatever team he pleases. Why mess with that?

As a captain, he owes it to his teammates to play with them. To lead them. But instead, he won’t. Instead, he’s decided to throw out the good things he has, throw caution to the wind, and put himself in a situation he can no longer control.

Well, I hope you’re happy, Jay Cutler. Because frankly, I’m not. I can’t believe you’d turn on teammates that turned to you for leadership. I can’t believe that not only have you refused to try and repair a situation that in the best-case scenario could advance your career, but also that you won’t even try.

Honestly, I hope you’re happy. Because your career may never be the same.