Former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler was arrested and charged with drunk driving and weapons possession

CNN
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Former National Football League (NFL) quarterback Jay Cutler was arrested and charged with, among other things, driving under the influence and possession of a firearm after police said the car he was driving crashed on Thursday in Franklin, Tennessee , another vehicle had rear-ended.

The Franklin Police Department said in a statement that officers responded after the crash and detected the odor of alcohol on Cutler, who also had bloodshot eyes and slurred his speech.

According to police, the former quarterback refused a field sobriety test and was later taken to a hospital where a blood sample was taken after authorities obtained a search warrant.

According to the police report, Cutler attempted to flee the scene after offering the other driver $2,000 not to call the police.

The police investigation also revealed that Cutler had two firearms in his vehicle, including a loaded handgun.

According to police, Cutler was charged with DUI – first offense, failure to exercise due care to avoid a collision, implied consent, possession of a handgun – under the influence of alcohol.

According to Franklin police, the 41-year-old was booked into the Williamson County Jail. His bail was set at $5,000 and has since been released.

CNN has attempted to reach Cutler for comment.

Cutler was a highly touted signal-caller at Vanderbilt University in the mid-2000s. He was selected in the first round, 11th overall, in the 2006 NFL Player Draft by the Denver Broncos.

He only played three seasons in Denver before moving to Chicago.

He made a name for himself with the Bears.

In his eight seasons in Chicago, he became the franchise's all-time leading passer with 23,443 yards and 154 touchdowns.

He played 12 seasons in the league for the Broncos, Bears and Miami Dolphins, rushing for 35,133 yards and 227 touchdowns.

His last season in the NFL was 2017.

In 2020, Cutler and his then-wife, reality TV star Kristen Cavallari, announced that they were divorcing after ten years together. The couple has three sons – Camden Jack, Jaxon Wyatt and Saylor James.