Weighing In On Cutler: John Lynch Provides Voice Of Reason

So who is he: over hyped gun slinger, man child who pouted and demanded to be traded, and who lacks leadership skills necessary to win a play off game, or....legend waiting to happen, victim of circumstances from bad NFL politics led by a 33 year old rookie head football coach and over the hill owner in Denver? Since Jay Cutler arrived in Chicago this past off season in a blockbuster trade the day after April Fools Day, perception and speculation has varied greatly depending on who you talk to and what you read...all the way from Denver Bronco message boards to rabid bear fans lighting up sports talk radio phone circuits like Christmas trees to talk Cutler. To put in Chicago perspective, bronco fans might describe Cutler as "Mark Prior post 2003", reserved and aloof, not a team player, and snubbing autograph seekers. On the other hand, some bronco fans were so upset Cutler was traded, they were reporting to give up their bronco allegiances. Meanwhile in Chicagoland, it wouldn't be surprising if fans expect Cutler to win multiple super bowls while curing Diabetes at the same time. And then there are those pictures surfacing on the Internet--of Cutler, 26 years old and single, having drinks and enjoying some of the Chicago night life in the middle of the NFL off season. Opinions vary from "no big deal" to "grow up, kid." So when weighing in on Cutler, who can give us a straight answer?

Those following the situation may want to defer to John Lynch, a former all pro safety for the Tampa Bay Bucs and Denver Broncos, who played in 9 pro bowls and has one super bowl ring from his days with the bucs. As good as Lynch was as a player, he may be more widely known for being a great guy both on and off the field. During his college days at Stanford, Lynch began his career as a quarterback, but sustained critical injuries that forced him out of the position. While a lot of college kids would have thrown in the towel, Lynch persevered and learned an entirely new position in the defensive backfield. As a perennial all-pro and one of the NFL's most feared tacklers, Lynch was nominated as a finalist for the NFL Walter Payton man of the year award multiple times. Lynch, who is married and has 4 children, also runs a notable foundation (johnlynchfoundation.org) promoting and recognizing leadership skills among today's youth. 

Lynch's thoughts on Jay Cutler are insightful for a host of reasons: he played with Cutler during his time with the broncos, his background gives him credible perspective, and he understands what it takes to be a leader on and off the football field. In the middle of July, Lynch was interviewed on ESPN Chicago radio, and here is what he had to say when asked about his former teammate Jay Cutler:  

"I like Jay, he's a friend of mine,...He had some growing up to do, probably still has some growing up to do. But in saying that, I think the Broncos erred in letting him go.

"This is a guy, in my mind, that's a once-in-every-15-year-type talent. He's got that kind of skill. I think he'll grow into the other things. I sometimes think during this whole ordeal, they tried to paint him as a bad guy, but he's not a bad guy at all. He's got some growing up to do, but hopefully he learned something from this whole ordeal and offseason."

"I think he's very reserved and to himself, and that's fine...I think sometimes it's just the way -- I hate to put it on this -- but sometimes the new generation. They just don't understand things that you think everyone should understand. I think he wants to learn. I think he's reached out to people trying to learn, and I think he will because as I said, once you get to know him on a one-on-one basis, he's by no means a bad person or a bad teammate. He's just, as I mentioned, got some things to grow up in."

So there you have it. Sounds like good news for bears fans....based on what Lynch is saying. For right now, I'll take his word.  

The following sources contributed to this post:

http://johnlynchfoundation.org/john-lynch-foundation.aspx

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/news/story?id=4336504

http://nwe.scout.com/a.z?s=121&p=8&c=1&nid=3902925