In the NFC Championship game, Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler struggled.  Often times, the stats don’t tell the story.  But in Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers, they did.

Cutler played for a little over two quarters, and was 6-14 for 80 yards and an interception.  But we’ve seen Cutler struggle before.  This time around, it was the aftermath of his struggle that garnered the most attention.

The flame thrower left the game early in the third quarter due to some sort of apparent knee injury.  On game day, no one really knew what was wrong with Cutler.  The Bears’ franchise quarterback was standing, walking and even riding a stationary bike on the sidelines.  He appeared dejected, but continued to be with the team – watching Chicago go down in defeat to the the Packers, 21-14.

Although Cutler may have meant to remain with his teammates as a encouraging presence, he may as well have sealed his fate as a player who bails out in tough situations. 

Cutler probably isn't smiling right now...

Or at least, that’s what the media (including “knowledgeable” ex-football players) and fans seem to think – and they want you to think it, too.

If the Bears were looking to protect Cutler’s image, they left a lot to be desired.  If there’s one thing that the Fox NFL telecast is full of, it’s sidelines reports and updates.  The fact that there were no updates on Cutler’s condition was downright baffling to viewers, hence they were forced to manufacture their own opinions.  And at a time when their star QB’s reputation was on the line, there was nothing emanating from the Bears organization – and Cutler was suffering with every passing minute.

Yesterday, the calvary arrived in an attempt to save Cutler’s image.  Bears head coach Lovie Smith told the media that the decision for Cutler to be removed from the game was not Cutler’s.  Smith said that Cutler’s removal was a team decision based on medical information received from the examination of Cutler’s knee.  Tests revealed that the quarterback had a sprained MCL.  That certainly should have been enough to satisfy the urge for Cutler’s head on a platter, right?

Wrong.  It was too little, too late.

In fact, it was almost a means to re-crucify Cutler.  So, not only was Cutler being roasted as someone who quits in tough situations – but now he was being criticized for not adhering to the unofficial rules of football brotherhood.  Monday night on ESPN, Tom Jackson and Trent Dilfer, ex-players who had only a portion of the talent that Cutler has, took turns blasting Cutler for his inability to press forward through a potentially career-ending injury.

The problems with this train of thought are numerous, but let’s just deal with the logic of the situation. 

What percentage of health (and in this case, mobility and planting power) would a head coach demand from a quarterback in a conference championship game?  80%?  70%?  60%?  In the NFL, starting position players (particularly quarterbacks) play with a different level of comfort and understanding than their backups.  And this should be the case, as those players will naturally receive larger chunks of game plan detail in practices.  But shouldn’t teams be prepared for some degree of likelihood that a starter is unable to play?  All of these guys were good enough to make NFL rosters, so shouldn’t 100% of a backup be more equipped to do the job required than 60% of a starter?

The other piece of logic around this situation should be centered on the Chicago Bears – and the investment that they have in Cutler.

Cutler is a 27-year-old quarterback with a questionable past, but the potential for one heck of a future.  He has natural ability and arm strength that cannot be taught or cultured, and he has demonstrated it on many occasions.  The combination of Cutler’s youth, performance and potential vividly remind me of another young man who was destined to accomplish great things in his sport – Grant Hill.

Many tend to forget how unstoppable Grant Hill was as a Piston.

From 1994-2000, Grant Hill was perhaps the most consistently dominant force in the NBA (when considering the full effect of his well-rounded game).  In fact, he was LeBron James before LeBron James.  During that span, Hill averaged 21.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.3 assists every game, clearly making him the most dangerous triple threat player in the league.

Grant Hill was also 27 when he faced his “Jay Cutler moment,” which occurred during the 2000 NBA playoffs, when the Detroit Pistons were set to battle the Miami Heat in the first round.  Hill had sprained his ankle a week prior to the start of the postseason. But in an effort to please the public – and consequently avoid the dreaded “soft” label – Hill pressed onward to play in the series. 

NBA fans know the rest of the sad tale.  Hill’s injured left ankle worsened, forcing him out of action in the second game for the remainder of the series.  More importantly, Hill was never the same player.  The perceptions of others encouraged him to make a bad decision, and forced Hill into a secondary career in which he could attain nothing more than role player status. 

A player who was set to make a mark on the history of his sport had a legacy of greatness swept from under him.

Granted, there are some unique differences between the circumstances surrounding these two situations.  The NFL is inherently more physical than the NBA.  Surely, Cutler’s stage – the NFC Championship game – was indisputably much grander than Hill’s (an NBA first round playoff game).  And without doubt, the standard for toughness in the NBA can’t even come close to rivaling that of the NFL.  NBA players seem to enjoy sitting on the sidelines in three-piece suits while collecting paychecks and getting a break from work.

But the underlying facts remain the same.

Shame on the ESPN analysts.  Shame on the other NFL players and their self-aggrandizing tweets.  Shame on all of us for putting Cutler in a box.  And shame for holding him up to the standard of other football players – past and present.

Had Cutler been allowed to choose his fate, he may have been very likely succumb to the pressure and become the latest case of wasted talent.  The NFL’s Grant Hill.  Not for his lack of work.  Not for his lack of passion.

But rather for his propensity to try and please the media. 

Kudos to the Bears for proactively taking control of Cutler’s – and their future.  But the very least that they could have done was to let everyone know about it – - for Cutler’s sake, when it mattered most.

T Lamont is the owner, administrator and author of all content for Ball or Nuthin\'. Feel free to contact T Lamont with a question or comment at ballornuthin@gmail.com.  All created Ball or Nuthin' content is the sole property of T Lamont. Read more from this author