Chicago Bears

Jay Cutler sends moving message to Bears fans after his release

Published Mar. 9, 2017 7:07 p.m. ET

Nunzio Ingrassia

It’s been a rocky eight years in Chicago for Jay Cutler, a tenure that officially came to an end Thursday when the Bears cut the veteran quarterback.

The high-priced quarterback was rarely a fan favorite during his time in Chicago. Cutler was ridiculed for his demeanor and inconsistent production that led to only one playoff appearance with him under center.

But despite the ups and downs, Cutler opted to send a message of gratitude to the city, fans and the organization hours after his release.

https://twitter.com/JeffDarlington/status/839978568826441733

“I would like to first thank the city of Chicago and its passionate fans for a memorable eight years,” Cutler wrote. “I grew up in Indiana rooting for the Bears as a kid, so it was an honor to wear the Bears uniform and play quarterback at Soldier Field for my favorite childhood team.

“I would like to thank Virginia, George and the rest of the McCaskey family for their support over my tenure in Chicago as well as [former Bears GM] Jerry Angelo, [former Bears GM] Phil Emery and [current Bears GM] Ryan Pace. It was a great experience to have played with such a great list of teammates during my time as a Bear. Also, I would like to thank all of the great employees of the Bears from the locker room to the front office.

“Chicago is the city where I met my wonderful wife Kristen [Cavallari]. I have been fortunate to have three beautiful children here. Our family will leave Chicago with great memories and relationships on and off the field. We look forward to the next chapter in our lives and wish the best to Bear fans everywhere.”

Cutler signed a seven-year, $126.7 million deal in 2013, the second lucrative deal with the Bears. But his production never matched his salary, throwing no more than 28 touchdowns during any of his eight seasons in Chicago.