People believe Jay Cutler retired after leaving the Chicago Bears in 2017. They often forget that he returned later that season to start for the Miami Dolphins, going 6-8 with two 4th quarter comebacks. During that time, he had an encounter with a young assistant coach named Ben Johnson. Neither of them could’ve known he would eventually become the head coach of the Bears within the next eight years. Cutler may have been on his way out of the league, but Johnson still left an impression in their short time together.
He was asked about it on Waddle & Silvy for ESPN 1000. Cutler admitted that it didn’t take long for him to realize that the young coach was special. He had certain qualities that made it obvious he was destined for bigger things. One of the most impressive things was Johnson’s ability to coach different positions. Between 2013 and 2017, he’d worked with the quarterbacks, tight ends, and wide receivers.
Jay Cutler believes Ben Johnson has what it takes.
He never got to experience having that young, ascending offensive coach to guide him. His first years in Chicago were spent with Lovie Smith. Then he was saddled with an aging Marc Trestman, who’d seen the game pass him by. The final run came under John Fox, another defensive guy. The closest Cutler ever came to that feeling was the year he spent with Adam Gase in 2015, ironically one of his better seasons. He must feel envious of Caleb Williams, who is getting far better treatment from the organization than he ever did. Ben Johnson is the type of offensive wizard who can mold a young quarterback into a superstar. All it takes is for the Bears to invest enough resources into his protection and weaponry. Hopefully, this off-season will kickstart everything.
