Professional athletes usually retire early enough in life to start another career path if they so choose. Even when they decide their bodies are done with professional sports, their hearts and minds are still in the game, so they often turn to the next best thing: broadcasting.
One of the most recent athletes to make this transition is Jay Cutler, former starting quarterback for the Chicago Bears. After a total of 11 seasons in the NFL, Cutler ended his career with the Bears and announced that he would join Fox as an analyst.
Fittingly, Cutler will be in the booth for the Bears-Falcons game during week one of the regular season.
“It makes sense for FOX to ease Cutler into the season with a team he knows intricately,” reported the NFL website. “If the enigmatic quarterback is willing to be open and honest on TV — unlike some ex-players who are skittish to start their media careers — Cutler could provide refreshing insight.”
NFL.com also noted Cutler’s subpar relationship with Chicago fans and how their mixed feelings about him could impact his willingness to freely comment.
Here are some photos of retired professional athletes that tried their hand at reporting — some more successful than others.
