Former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler was arrested on Thursday following a minor car accident in downtown Franklin, Tennessee, as reported by the Franklin Police Department.
The 41-year-old Cutler faces charges of driving under the influence, possession of a firearm while intoxicated, failure to exercise due care to avoid a collision, and implied consent violations, according to a news release.
Police officers were dispatched to the intersection of Bridge Street and 2nd Avenue North around 5 p.m. in response to a crash report. According to a Williamson County affidavit, a driver of a GMC informed officers that a man in a white Ram truck had rear-ended his vehicle and offered him $2,000 to avoid calling the police before trying to escape.
Upon speaking with Cutler, officers noted that he allegedly appeared intoxicated, exhibiting signs such as bloodshot eyes, staggering, swaying, and slurred speech. Cutler declined to take a standardized field sobriety test.
He was subsequently taken into custody, and a search warrant for a blood test was obtained at a nearby medical facility. During a search of Cutler’s vehicle, police reportedly discovered a rifle in the backseat and a loaded handgun in the center console.
Cutler was booked into Williamson County Jail, from which he was later released on a $5,000 bond. His release conditions include not driving any vehicles without an ignition interlock device — which measures breath alcohol content — or while under the influence.
A representative for Cutler has not yet commented on the situation.
Cutler is well-known for his 12-season NFL career, particularly with the Chicago Bears. He was previously married to reality TV star Kristin Cavallari, with whom he shares three children, before their divorce in 2020. The couple appeared on the reality show “Very Cavallari,” which debuted in 2018 and centered on Cavallari’s business pursuits and their family life.