Devin Hester Blames WR Struggles On Off-Field Relationship with Jay Cutler
NFL legend Devin Hester has a theory about why Jay Cutler barely threw him the ball during their time together in Chicago … and it all stems from their off-the-field relationship.
… or rather, the LACK of an off-the-field relationship.
"I think Jay, I think we didn’t have that relationship off the field,” Hester revealed to his former Bears teammate Brandon Marshall on the “I Am Athlete” show.
“So, as a receiver … if you don’t have a relationship with your QB off the field, on the field your relationship might not be that tight.”
Widely regarded as the greatest return specialist of all time, Hester — with his blazing speed and ridiculous explosiveness — had potential to be a legit receiving threat … but never really clicked with Chicago’s offense.
Hester recorded 57 catches on 91 targets during Cutler’s first season in Chicago in 2009 — but those numbers decreased substantially every year after that until Hester was eventually phased out of the offense altogether.
40 catches in 2010 … 26 in 2011 … 23 in 2012 … and 0 in 2013 when he was relegated to full-time special teams duty.
Marshall says when he arrived in Chicago in 2012, he expected to form a wide receiver “dynamic duo” with Hester — but was shocked because “Jay wouldn’t even look his way or throw the ball for whatever reason.”
IAA co-host Chad Johnson — who played 11 seasons at WR in the NFL — couldn’t believe his ears when Hester talked about the situation with Cutler.
“In the dynamic for [an NFL] offense, the way it's being run, you got to throw to the open man based on what the defense shows. So, you should be getting the ball regardless … that’s game changing right there.”
For his part, Hester says he still has no relationship with his old QB — they haven’t’ spoken since Hester left Chicago in 2013.
I AM ATHLETE | Season 3: Episode 12
Devin Hester Blames WR Struggles On Off-Field Relationship with Jay Cutler
NFL legend Devin Hester has a theory about why Jay Cutler barely threw him the ball during their time together in Chicago … and it all stems from their off-the-field relationship.
… or rather, the LACK of an off-the-field relationship.
"I think Jay, I think we didn’t have that relationship off the field,” Hester revealed to his former Bears teammate Brandon Marshall on the “I Am Athlete” show.
“So, as a receiver … if you don’t have a relationship with your QB off the field, on the field your relationship might not be that tight.”
Widely regarded as the greatest return specialist of all time, Hester — with his blazing speed and ridiculous explosiveness — had potential to be a legit receiving threat … but never really clicked with Chicago’s offense.
Hester recorded 57 catches on 91 targets during Cutler’s first season in Chicago in 2009 — but those numbers decreased substantially every year after that until Hester was eventually phased out of the offense altogether.
40 catches in 2010 … 26 in 2011 … 23 in 2012 … and 0 in 2013 when he was relegated to full-time special teams duty.
Marshall says when he arrived in Chicago in 2012, he expected to form a wide receiver “dynamic duo” with Hester — but was shocked because “Jay wouldn’t even look his way or throw the ball for whatever reason.”
IAA co-host Chad Johnson — who played 11 seasons at WR in the NFL — couldn’t believe his ears when Hester talked about the situation with Cutler.
“In the dynamic for [an NFL] offense, the way it's being run, you got to throw to the open man based on what the defense shows. So, you should be getting the ball regardless … that’s game changing right there.”
For his part, Hester says he still has no relationship with his old QB — they haven’t’ spoken since Hester left Chicago in 2013.
I AM ATHLETE | Season 3: Episode 12
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