Jay Cutler’s first game as an analyst for Fox will be the Bears-Titans preseason matchup on Aug. 27 in Nashville, where he "played collegiately at Vanderbilt and where his family now calls home," according to Adam Jahns of CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. Cutler first "considered the move to broadcasting in January after talking to his wife." He "auditioned with play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt last Thursday in L.A.," where he called a Cardinals-Seahawks game. Cutler "studied the analysis" of Troy Aikman, Jon Gruden and John Lynch, who vacated the spot Cutler is filling when he became 49ers GM. Cutler on Friday appeared on ESPN Radio 1000 Chicago and said, "I felt as prepared as I was going to be. I just kind of went in and winged it" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 5/6). SI.com's Richard Deitsch notes that Cutler "was not anywhere on Fox's radar prior to the last couple of weeks." Fox Sports President of Production John Entz said that someone close to him in the industry "reached out to him about a month ago and suggested Cutler could be very good as analyst as well as interested in trying out." At that time Fox had a "list of 50 candidates and Cutler was not on it." Entz said that he "thinks Cutler will really be in a good position with Charles Davis alongside him as an analyst" (SI.com, 5/8).
WASTING NO TIME: Burkhardt said that one of the things he noticed during the trial broadcast was "how serious Cutler took the audition process." Cutler "called Burkhardt throughout the week prior to the audition, peppering him with questions on the mechanics of television and other things." Burkhardt: "He asked how he should prepare and what things to look at. I was really impressed by that. He was totally diving in. ... When we got done, I thought, 'Wow, he can do this.' I have only known him a short time but I feel like we clicked" (SI.com, 5/5). Burkhardt added, "He was really comfortable and conversational. I've done a lot of auditions and it felt natural with him. ... I was really floored by the amount of preparation." In Chicago, David Haugh wrote this "alliance with Fox looks like a winner for Cutler; expressing strong opinions publicly will be encouraged for a network analyst more than they were as a team leader under a conservative coach." Haugh: "It won't shock me if Cutler's natural edge makes him more compelling in the booth than Tony Romo at CBS or if Cutler eventually becomes a better analyst than he was a quarterback" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 5/7). Burkhardt said, "I'm telling you he's going to surprise a lot of people. He is smart. He's engaging" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 5/6).
PERFECT COMBO? Davis, who will work alongside Cutler in the booth, noted he has talked to the former Bears QB in production meetings for years and said, "We may not have been bro-hugging, but if I asked Jay Cutler a question, I got a thorough answer. And I’ve had plenty of other guys where I’ve asked those questions and I’ve gotten bro-hugged, we had a good time and it was affable, and when I’ve gotten back to my room to put down my notes, I don’t have anything." He added of Cutler, "His ability to know the personnel that’s on the field -- I mean, he just walked off the field. Just think about him walking into production meetings (with players) now. He’s going to be walking in essentially with his peers." Davis: "He can provide incredible perspective, introspection and thought about all of that" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 5/7).
WEIGHING IN: SPORTING NEWS' Michael McCarthy wrote Fox is "gambling on another TV neophyte in the booth. Especially when that person is Cutler." He has "never been known as Mr. Personality." A TV exec said, "His reputation is that of a spoiled, entitled brat who squandered immense physical gifts." McCarthy noted a bad announcer "can turn viewers off," and that "wouldn't be good after a season in which NFL TV ratings fell eight percent" (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 5/5). In Chicago, Rick Morrissey wondered why it would even "occur to anyone that Cutler would be good in a broadcast booth." Morrissey: "I’m pretty sure I didn’t miss happy, engaging, funny Jay." Morrissey: "Rarely has an idea seemed so ridiculous ... It’s beyond me what Fox sees him bringing to a broadcast" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 5/6). In Boston, Ben Volin wrote, "In our few experiences with Cutler, he was a cliché machine in news conferences." It will be "interesting to see if he can offer more critical analysis in his new role" (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/7). USA TODAY's Jarrett Bell wrote, "Cutler, Mr. Congeniality himself -- not! -- just got a shot as a commentator with Fox." Bell: "Not sure if he’ll kill it, but at least he’ll get the chance" (USATODAY.com, 5/7). THE MMQB's Peter King writes some players who have been "crappy with the media have gone to work for TV and been good at it." Cutler had an "acidic personality" as a player, but that "doesn’t mean he’ll be bad at TV." It actually "means he’s got a real chance to be good, if he works at it and stays true to his real opinions" (MMQB.SI.com, 5/8).
POSITION BATTLE: In N.Y., Gary Myers wrote it "makes sense" that Fox hired Cutler soon after CBS hired Romo. They "needed someone who could compete with Romo" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 5/7). PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Mike Florio wrote, "Which guy will do better in their post-football football employment?" The "easy answer is Romo." He got the "better gig on the bigger platform with the greater opportunities to work before major audiences." Also, people "don’t seem to like Cutler, based in large part on the perception that he doesn’t care." If that "perception is reality, or if he separately doesn’t care whether people dislike him because they already do, Cutler could actually be great." He will say things "without worrying who might not like it or what they might say about him for saying it." Romo, on the other hand, "could be paralyzed by fear of criticism from fans and media" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 5/7). ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert wrote, "How powerful is the public allure of quarterbacks?" They can be "boorish, underachieving grouches for most of their pro careers and still find a soft landing in retirement as a broadcaster." Seifert: "By my count there could be seven quarterbacks in the Fox and CBS broadcast booths this season" (ESPN.com, 5/5).
