Jay Cutler's retirement lasted three months. Now the former Broncos and Bears quarterback joins the Dolphins, who will be without Ryan Tannehill for the foreseeable future.
The good news is that Cutler had the best year of his career under Adam Gase, the former Bears offensive coordinator who is now the head coach in Miami. The bad news is that Cutler is the same physically talented-but-erratic and inconsistent quarterback that was so maddening to watch for much of his career. But his last coach in Chicago, John Fox, isn't concerned that layoffs or history will have a bearing on Cutler's performance with the Dolphins.
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"I think it's great," Fox said, via ProFootballWeekly's Eric Edholm. "… I am happy for him. It's another opportunity, and it's all guys can ask for. We wish him nothing but the best."
Added bonus: Cutler and Gase have a history.
"There'll be some carryover for sure," Fox continued. "He's a sharp guy."
Fox arrived in Chicago before the 2015 season and declared the quarterback job an open competition between Cutler and the man he was benched for in 2014: Jimmy Clausen. The team went 6-10 in Year 1 and dropped to 5-11 in 2016. In 20 starts during that time, Cutler 7-13. Last October, there were reports that Fox was ready to move on from Cutler after the season, though the coach promptly denied it.
Interestingly, here's what we wrote at the time:
...That means that the final half of the season is less about the near term -- helping the Bears out of this 1-6 hole -- and more about the future. Specifically: Cutler is auditioning for his next gig. A popular landing spot, at least until Ryan Tannehill picked up his play in recent weeks: Miami, where Cutler could be reunited with Gase.
"Whatever happens at the end of the year, it's supposed to happen, and we'll go accordingly," Cutler said at the time.
And here's what Fox said Monday: "I was happy with [Cutler] both years. I don't think I would say I was happy with our seasons. He was a smart, tough guy that worked hard. When we departed, we wish it went a different way. I am sure he feels the same way."
