On April 16, Jay Cutler, the 25 year-old Denver Bronco starting quarterback, was diagnosed with type one diabetes, the most serious form of the disease. He disclosed his condition on May 2 in a press conference.
Last October, Cutler started to sense that there was something wrong when he began to lose weight, going from 235 pounds to 203 by the end of the football season. He was unable to gain weight even though he was eating and drinking in order to bulk up. Cutler was extremely sluggish.
Once diagnosed, the quarterback got on a regime of four insulin doses per day. He also tests his blood sugar each day. But halfway through the 2007 season, all Cutler knew was that he was struggling to put some power in his passes and energy in his game.
Cutler, who came out of Vanderbilt, was the 11th pick overall in the 2006 draft. In his first year, he saw action in five games, completing 59.1-percent of his passes while throwing nine touchdowns and five interceptions. In 2007, the quarterback played in 16 contests, hitting 63.6-percent of his throws for 3,497 yards and 20 touchdowns. He threw 14 interceptions.
The good news for the Denver Broncos is that their first string QB has gotten himself back on track. He’s strong, feels great and is energized. He’s taken the driver’s seat in dealing with his disease and that means that he’s ready to take on the 2008 season. Time will tell if he can get and keep his Broncos on track. But there is optimism in the mile-high city.
