Bears fans react to Mark Sanchez taking Jay Cutler’s jersey number on social media

The polarizing and consistently, inconsistent career of former Chicago Bears quarterback, Jay Cutler, came to an expected end this past March. Even as the quarterback - who has yet to find a new home - holds all relevant franchise passing records, it would’ve been easy to figure the Bears would eventually give his jersey number away.

But, while it’s not like Cutler was a player of Peyton Manning or Tom Brady’s caliber, obviously he did create some memories over his lengthy up-and-down eight-year career in Chicago. So, it shouldn’t have been so easy and quick in some people’s eyes.

The Bears themselves did not agree with that hearty, emotional sentiment and wasted no time in awarding their past franchise’s quarterback’s number six to new back-up, Mark Sanchez, as first reported by Bears website writer, Larry Mayer.

Some fans shrugged the decision away as the non-factor it was in the end. Some noted the inherently awkward move by Chicago even while it was inconsequential, too. And some, well, were not happy to say the least. Reasons around these emotions all not limited to Cutler as well.

Let’s take a look at Twitter for compiled reactions to the news of Sanchez “taking” Cutler’s former number six.

The angry and or disappointed

The fans on the “other” side of Cutler’s time with Chicago

A noticeable unease across the Twitter platform was clear, but let’s be honest, regardless of whatever Bears’ records he holds: Cutler did not deserve to have his jersey number with the franchise retired. Considering Chicago as an organization has basically already retired what at least feels like half of every uniform number they can award, could and or should they really have retired a jersey because of an inherently average quarterback?

Given that those records Cutler possesses were Bears passing records i.e. nothing of real note in the modern pass-happy era, no chance.

The real travesty of not retiring the Bears’ number six here is no momentum surrounding former kicker, Kevin Butler. Chicago’s second all-time leading scorer also wore the vaunted six, come on now! Where has the conversation been around him, huh?

I ask this of all: Where is the outrage for Butler and what he contributed on this long-standing tragedy?

Robert Zeglinski is the Bears beat writer for the Rock River Times and is a staff writer for Windy City Gridiron and Second City Hockey. You can follow him on Twitter @RobertZeglinski.