5 Reasons Why Bears Fans Love to Hate Jay Cutler

The NFL preseason hasn’t even ended, and the level of disdain for Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has already reached its regular season peak.

In fact, the Bears should consider switching Cutler to wide receiver so he can catch all the shade fans have been throwing his way since joining the team in 2009.

A recent breakdown of the 32-year-old signal caller’s Q-score, which measures the likability of celebrities, found that more people dislike Cutler now than they did two years, Crain‘s Chicago Business reported. His jersey sales at Dick’s Sporting Goods also dropped from 19th to 29th since last season, when the Bears had a 5-11 record and Cutler was ranked 23rd among NFL QBs.

»RELATED: Check Out Jay Cutler’s Full Q-Score at Crain’s Chicago Business

Former teammates have been less-than-favorable when talking about their times on the field with Cutler, too. Devin Hester, now with the Atlanta Falcons, told ESPN that Cutler was a poor communicator and wouldn’t pass him the ball. Even wide receiver Brandon Marshall, one of Cutler’s oldest “friends” who is now with the New York Jets, said their relationship on and off the field was strained because Marshall was the only person holding Cutler accountable.

The most obvious sign that Cutler bashing is in full swing is, well, an obvious sign plastered outside a Bucktown house: “CUTLER STINKS.”

How about this gem in bucktown @KapandHaugh @thekapman @DavidHaugh pic.twitter.com/dJRkVMiTvp

— Eric Dasse (@ericDasse) September 1, 2015

That’s a lot of loathing for a quarterback whose career stats make him Chicago’s all-time leader when it comes to passing yards, completions and passer rating. Off the field, Cutler is known as being a family man who gives back to the Chicago community, and it’s reputation that isn’t hampered by any public or legal scandals—something that Bulls guard Derrick Rose and Blackhawks right winger Patrick Kane can’t claim.

»RELATED: Teen Bears Fan to Brain Tumor, ‘I’ll Call You Aaron Rodgers’

And don’t forget, he and wife Kristin Cavallari were funny and self-deprecating playing themselves on the FXX comedy series The League.

(VIDEO: Jay Cutler and his wife, Kristen Cavallari guest-starred on The League, an FXX comedy series about fantasy football. | CREDIT: FXX)

So why do fans keep giving Cutler the Hater-ade shower every season? Patch has come up with five reasons. You decide whether they’re enough to justify the dislike.

1. Lacks a Competitive Spirit: Cutler’s game day demeanor has been described as “apathetic” and “whiny.” That’s not how you endear Chicago fans who are used to the fiery bluster of Mike Ditka or the stoic, workmanlike manner of Walter Payton. Consider this: Michael Jordan reportedly punched teammate Steve Kerr because he wasn’t working hard enough during practice. We’re talking PRACTICE!
2. He’s Overpaid: The Bears signed Cutler to a seven-year, $126.7-million contract last year, a puzzling move for a team that has missed the playoffs for the past three seasons while he’s been under center. But should fans really hate Cutler for letting the Bears pay him a dump truck full of cash?
3. His Wife Was on an MTV Reality Series: Kristin Cavallari starred on Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County about a decade ago, and some people still hold it against her how she treated co-star and frenemy Lauren Conrad. But c’mon, Kristin’s no Heidi Montag.
4. The Cool Kids Dislike Him: See the above comments from Devin Hester and Brandon Marshall. It can be easy to pile on when you see the big guys doing it.
5. Can’t Win With Him as QB: Interviews with about a dozen former Bears coaches, teammates and staffers revealed that none of them thought the team could with Cutler as quarterback. The biggest flaws they pointed to were his lack of leadership in the locker room and his tendency to be a renegade when it came to playing within an offensive system.

Who needs reason Nos. 1 through 4 when No. 5 is so damning?