Things have gone from bad to worse for former quarterback Jay Cutler.
Back in August, the 42-year old former NFL and Vanderbilt quarterback found out that he’d be facing some jail time after making a plea deal with prosecutors to close out his DUI case. Cutler was arrested last year when he rear-ended a blue GMC around 5 p.m. on October 17, 2024 in Franklin, Tennessee (about 30 minutes south of Nashville).
Police reports indicated the former athlete’s eyes were “bloodshot,” “glassy,” and “dilated,” and that he reeked of alcohol. Cutler then apparently rejected field sobriety tests, so he was taken to a local hospital to have his blood tested before he was booked at the Williamson County Jail. Upon a search of Cutler’s vehicle, authorities also discovered two firearms – one being a loaded handgun.
He was arrested, and later released after paying a $5,000 bond.
Reports say that Jay Cutler initially tried to flee following the accident. When the former quarterback failed to do so, he offered the driver of the GMC that he crashed into $2,000 to not report the accident. Obviously, that’s not a great look.
Fast forward to August of 2025 (just a couple months shy of one year since the incident), when Cutler made a deal with prosecutors to close out that very DUI case. TMZ Sports reported that Cutler stood in a Tennessee courtroom and pleaded guilty to one count of misdemeanor DUI. By pleading guilty, the Williamson County prosecutors agreed to drop the weapon possession charge that Cutler was also facing from the October 2024 arrest.
Perry Lee, the driver of the blue GMC that Cutler rear-ended, is now bringing a civil lawsuit to the former QB, the New York Post reports. He filed the lawsuit just days after Cutler pled guilty to the misdemeanor, and the filings itself alleges that Cutler was “at fault for the collision and failed to use reasonable and due car in the operation of the vehicle he was driving.” Considering all of the reports, that allegation seems to be obviously true.
The lawsuit goes on to say that Lee is seeking damages in excess of $25,000, as the claimant says that he suffered “loss of earning capacity, lost wages, and other out-of-pocket expenses.” Perry Lee’s attorneys said this in a statement:
“Our client is a veteran who was injured in a car crash due to the alleged negligence of another driver. His injuries from the crash cause him daily pain and have eroded his quality of life. We are seeking justice for him so he can get the care he needs and try to move forward with his life.”
Something tells me that Jay Cutler just wants to move forward with his life as well, and I could see a world where the former QB dips into some of his NFL money to pay the damages the lawsuit is alleging, just so he can put his 2024 crash and DUI arrest behind him.
