Jay Cutler is taking his “gunslinger” reputation to a new level.
The former NFL quarterback, who is best known for his high-profile divorce from reality TV star Kristin Cavallari, was mocked for his frequent misfires during his eight full NFL seasons, where he led the league in interceptions twice.
When it comes to hunting wild animals, Cutler’s aim apparently rings true.
The long-time Chicago Bears signal-caller posted a photo of himself on Instagram on Saturday posing with a dead sable antelope.
“Kicked off the Africa hunt with a beauty,” Cutler wrote. ”Sable down.”
The sable antelope can range in size from 440 to 595 pounds, with horns that grow up to 60 inches, and the antelope in the picture with Cutler appeared to be on the larger side. While the sable is not endangered, angry commenters were quick to point out the vacuousness of trophy hunting a defenseless wild species.
Commenters on Instagram were not impressed by his boast. One user, who attracted over 1,000 likes, wrote, “I went to Africa on a safari and saw the most incredible wildlife and never once thought about murdering them.”
“I can see why Kristin left him,” another user responded.
Cutler was drafted 11th overall in the 2006 draft by the Denver Broncos, and spent two years in Denver before being traded to the Bears. He led the Bears to the NFC Championship Game in 2010, but his play on the field was often overshadowed by his famously stony facial expressions, which inspired thousands of internet memes.
Some Instagram users did come to Cutler’s defense, noting that the sable population is at low risk of extinction and that regulated trophy hunting helps generate revenue for habitat conservation and anti-poaching efforts. In South Africa, the “trophy fee” to hunt sable can cost anywhere from $3,500 to $20,000.
The hunting company Cutler tagged in his post, Tyityaba Hunting Safaris, advertises a “top-tier African experience, tailor-made to suit your needs.”
Cutler made approximately $128 million during his playing days, and he has spent most of his time since retiring in 2017 hunting.
He split with Hills star Cavallari in 2020 after seven years of marriage. Their marital woes became a plotline on Very Cavallari in 2019 when she revealed, “Jay has been great, yes. From the outside, things are so perfect and things are so great… But actually, they’re not. And that sucks. It sucks. That’s the thing, though, with marriage … It’s ups and downs.”
The post Reality Star’s NFL Ex Under Fire for Shooting Giant Antelope appeared first on The Daily Beast.
