Former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler was arrested on Thursday following a minor accident in downtown Franklin, Tennessee, as reported by the Franklin Police Department.
The 41-year-old was charged with driving under the influence, carrying a handgun while under the influence, failing to exercise due care to avoid a collision, and implied consent, according to a news release.
Police responded to a crash at the intersection of Bridge Street and 2nd Avenue North around 5 p.m. Witnesses reported that the driver of a GMC claimed a man in a white Ram truck rear-ended his vehicle and offered $2,000 to avoid calling the police before attempting to leave the scene.
Officers approached Cutler, who reportedly showed signs of intoxication, including a smell of alcohol, bloodshot eyes, unsteadiness, and slurred speech, according to the affidavit. Cutler declined to take a standardized field sobriety test.
He was taken into custody, and police obtained a blood search warrant at a nearby medical facility. During a search of Cutler’s vehicle, authorities allegedly found a rifle in the backseat and a loaded handgun in the center console.
Cutler was booked into Williamson County Jail and was released on a $5,000 bond. The conditions of his release state that he must not drive without an ignition interlock device, which measures breath alcohol content, or while under the influence.
A spokesperson for Cutler has not yet commented on the incident.
Cutler is widely recognized for his 12-season NFL career, predominantly with the Chicago Bears. He was previously married to reality TV personality Kristin Cavallari, with whom he shares three children—a daughter and two sons—before their divorce in 2020. Cutler also starred in the reality show “Very Cavallari,” which aired in 2018 and focused on Cavallari’s business pursuits as well as their family life.