A day after the Chicago Bears fired offensive coordinator Ron Turner and several of his assistants, it seems one of these unemployed coaches decided to voice his opinions about quarterback Jay Cutler.
According to an ESPN source, one of the former Bears offensive coaches described Cutler as a ‘Coach Killer’.
Now, this does not mean he puts on a hockey mask at night and goes around decapitating coaches. Though after this season, I’m sure the thought has crossed his mind, and ours.
The ESPN source explains that by coach killer, the anonymous coach is referring to Cutler’s off the cuff play in games. Apparently, Cutler will do all the right things in practice; goes through his reads, progressions and reps exactly as called. However, in game situations, Cutler forgets all he is taught and does whatever he wants.
At first, this comment seems to be the result of a scorned coach trying to insult the most popular player on an organization that has just canned him. But the source goes on to say that these feelings were not just voiced after a disappointing losing season, but throughout the entire year.
We saw in the last two games of this season what the Bears offense can do. Given the right plays and time behind the line of scrimmage, Cutler can carve up a defense. The offense that was on the field in the last two games was not the same one that took the field in the previous 14 games. Offensive coordinator Turner finally played to his quarterback’s strengths.
So if a player as talented and head strong as Cutler does not believe in his offensive coordinator and the plays that he calls, he might go a little off script to try and make things happen. Some of the better quarterbacks in the NFL do this all the time. Peyton Manning and Brett Favre are known for using a little imagination on the field when all else fails. Cutler does not yet have the experience of Manning or Favre, but if he does not go through his growing pains, he will have nothing to learn from.
Since the coach killer comment was made, many believe it will now be hard to bring in a top tier offensive coach.
Who would want to coach a so called murderer? It’s professional suicide.
Given the right chemistry between Cutler and coordinator, this could be a very exciting offense for years to come. Just because Turner could not harness the potential of his star quarterback does not mean someone else can’t.
After the Bears had traded for Cutler, many ‘experts’ had some negative things to say about the Vanderbilt alum’s game. They were digging up all kinds of naysaying material to bring down the enthusiasm of finally bringing a Pro Bowl quarterback to Chicago. Never the less, ‘coach killer’ or what that term means was never added to the pessimistic babble.
The fact of the matter is that Turner's role as offensive coordinator for the Bears is now dead; hence the Bears offense should finally have a pulse.