Exclusive: Jay Cutler Didn't Always Embrace Vanderbilt Football, But Now He's All in
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NASHVILLE—There he is with a black American flag hat, a black button down shirt, his sunglasses clipped on between buttons and his boys standing in front of him taking it all in a few feet behind the south endzone at FirstBank Stadium. It's a sight that’s as polarizing as any in this place over the past five seasons.
It’s former Vanderbilt star quarterback Jay Cutler standing alongside former teammate Earl Bennett embracing the program that he left in 2005, represented in the NFL more prominently than anyone and dragged through the mud when he felt it was necessary.
Cutler once avoided what he considered to be the “trainwreck” that was FirstBank Stadium. He didn’t see any incentive to bring his sons to see the product that was on the field in the first few seasons of Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea’s tenure. He said at the time that didn’t want them to associate “this,” or the Vanderbilt program that consistently struggled to do anything noteworthy in SEC play. As they grew into football fandom, he wanted them to expect better than what Lea’s program could give them at the time.
There he was on Saturday night leaning up against the padded fence in front of the newly-renovated south end zone seating as if he’d never left, though.
“Obviously the stadium is done and these guys seem to be on fire,” Cutler told Vandy on SI. “Coach Clark has got it going so the boys want to come down. It’s always a good time to come out and see Vandy.”
Cutler couldn’t say that confidently when Lea took over Vanderbilt’s program after the 2020 season, but he says he came to “a couple” games last season now that Vanderbilt has put a more potent product on the field. Lea’s program–which won just two SEC games in his first three seasons–is ranked No. 20 in the AP Poll and is 3-0 after road wins against Virginia Tech as well as No. 11 South Carolina.
The former Vanderbilt quarterback is one of just two first-round picks to come out of the program since 2000 and is its highest-drafted player since 1984. He failed to lead it to a bowl game, though. He appears to believe that this Vanderbilt team could get where his didn’t, though.
Cutler also appears to believe that it could unlock a level of sustainability that hasn’t been present within this program for most of its existence.
“Clark’s been here for a bit,” Cutler said, “He’s got his culture in place and we’re obviously getting better players. NIL, the transfer portal is helping. They’re doing the right things to make us competitive.”
Cutler has polarizing at best and divisive at worst regarding his Vanderbilt commentary throughout Lea's tenure, but as Lea considers an answer to the inevitable question he received about the former Vanderbilt quarterback--who was his teammate for two seasons--he thinks of him like any former Vanderbilt player.
Vanderbilt has had plenty of those around its practice facility and along its sidelines throughout the fall. Lea has built his staff up with a few prominent ones. He believes Cutler--who he greeted "on his way in" at halftime on Saturday--has a place, too.
"It's great to have Jay around," Lea said. "Obviously, this is a guy that I played with. Was a great teammate, great friend here, just tons of respect for him and his career. Obviously one of the Vanderbilt legends and it was always great to see him. It's always good to have guys back."
Among the improvements the program has made since Cutler’s departure in 2005 is its renovations to the north and south end zone. Cutler was critical of Vanderbilt’s product as its stadium was in progress during the 2022 season, but as he looked up in the moments following signing two t-shirts for kids and chatting with Bennett, he appeared to admire what Vanderbilt’s administration had built. At the very least, he respected it enough to take the field in the second quarter alongside former Vanderbilt basketball guard Darius Garland and his sons to a sea of cheers from the Vanderbilt fanbase.
For better or worse, Cutler is rarely quick to pull punches regarding topics he believes he’s educated on. He once called the Chicago Bears’ Soldier Field “one of the worst fields in the league” and saw most of the NFL’s most modern facilities throughout his career.
Perhaps FirstBank Stadium isn’t on the top of Cutler’s bucket-list venues–he’s seen and done enough for that not to be the case–but it no longer appears to be at the bottom of his list like it was a few seasons ago.
“It’s amazing,” Cutler said with FirstBank Stadium in mind. “Long time coming, but they did it right, closed it in, made it a little bit smaller. I’m excited to be here.”
In reality, Cutler would likely admit he wouldn’t be standing on the black turf with gold shoes discussing Vanderbilt football if it was in a different state. He may not be avoiding it like the plague in the way he did a few seasons ago, but it takes something–or someone–to get figures like Pavia to a place that has so often been absent of them.
Perhaps Vanderbilt won’t have a player drafted as high as Cutler was, but it’s got one equally as polarizing. Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia doesn’t have the arm strength or NFL draft buzz that Cutler did, but he doesn’t have to in order to impress the former 12-year NFL veteran.
“He’s fun to watch, I’ll tell you what,” Cutler told Vandy on SI. “I’m not sure how he makes it out in some of these games with the hits he takes, but he’s a competitor and that’s what this team needs.”
Perhaps as a result of the change that Pavia has appeared to instill within Vanderbilt’s program, Cutler will continue to show up for the program that he believes has earned back his support.
Perhaps some will tell Cutler to kick rock anytime he’s around, some will cling on to the things he said about his former program. Cutler has never been one to be anything other than nonchalant regarding his perception, though. The idea that Vanderbilt had to earn Cutler’s support back is offputting to some of those around its program, but it has nonetheless.
Perhaps that says something about it, perhaps it doesn't. Cutler is back and he doesn't care what anyone has to say about it, though.
_(1)-b3e453dfe426b2dd4b83a12540ebdb37.jpeg "Joey Dwyer")
Joey Dwyer is the lead writer on Vanderbilt Commodores On SI. He found his first love in college sports at nearby Lipscomb University and decided to make a career of telling its best stories. He got his start doing a Notre Dame basketball podcast from his basement as a 14-year-old during COVID and has since aimed to make that 14-year-old proud. Dwyer has covered Vanderbilt sports for three years and previously worked for 247 Sports and Rivals. He contributes to Seth Davis' Hoops HQ, Southeastern 16 and Mainstreet Nashville.
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