The tweets, flying in from across the league as players watched from home, questioned both the legitimacy of the injury as well as Cutler’s heart and intensity. Upon hearing the news, he allegedly started crying by his locker.
Cutler appeared to tweak his knee during the first half of the NFC Championship game and was pulled during the third quarter. He was spotted standing on the sidelines, riding the exercise bike and pouting on the bench for the rest of the game, which didn’t sit well with many former and current players.
Jacksonville Jaguars star running back Maurice Jones-Drew tweeted: "Hey I think the Urban Meyer rule is in effect right now…when the going gets tough… QUIT" and added "All I’m saying is that he can finish the game on a hurt knee…I played the whole season on one."
Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel also joined in on the Cutler bashing, tweeting: "If he was on my team I’d be looking at him sideways."
Cardinals defensive end Darnell Dockett added: "If I’m on Chicago team Jay Cutler has to wait till me and the team shower get dressed and leave before he comes in the locker room!"
Former great Deion Sanders chimed in too, writing, "Folks i never question a players injury but i do question a players heart."
Redskins wide receiver Anthony Armstrong had the tweet of the day, tweeting: "Knee-Gate in Chicago."
During the postgame news conference, Cutler’s teammates and coaches were supportive of Cutler and defensive about the circumstances surrounding the injury. Linebacker Brian Urlacher called him "tough as hell" while coach Lovie Smith reiterated that he was simply injured and that was the end of the story.
Cutler is set to undergo an MRI Monday, and pending the results, some players might have to backpedal on these strong statements.
