Star NFL Quarterback Credits Marriage Counseling for Impressive Bounce-Back Season

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler impressed NFL fans this season despite missing the playoffs, and he believes that resolving some issues in his marriage is a major reason for his improved performance on the field.

Cutler recently sat down for an interview with the Chicago Tribune in which he revealed that marriage counseling played a major role in his bounce-back season.

Cutler, who is married to realty television star Kristin Cavallari, is largely defined by his erratic play and notoriously bad body language on the sidelines. However, he had the best season of his 10-year NFL career in 2015, finishing with 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

In addition to marriage counseling, Cutler was also quick to thank Chicago Bears sports psychologist Gloria Balague for his impressive 2015 campaign.

“We have somebody on staff here. Kristin and I have done couples therapy also. I’ve never met with a quarterback guy or any [mental coach] in that regard,” Cutler said.

“But just couples therapy and meeting with Gloria, you start getting insight on some things. You start seeing things differently. That definitely has helped me deal with stuff,” he added.

Marriage counseling is common among professional athletes, who are required to juggle personal relationships with the intense demands of competing on the highest level in sports.

“Marriage counseling is great because you have an expert helping you to zero in on the issues and find solutions. These are often hard to recognize when you’re in the thick of it yourself. Counseling can also help bring your marriage from being the major stressor of your life, to being the source of strength you draw from, making you stronger, both personally and professionally,” said Steve Weinman, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist at Family First Therapy, LLC of Savannah, GA.

According to GuideDoc, more than 98% of couples surveyed have reported having a “good or excellent” experience with marriage counseling. Additionally, about 93% of patients said they obtained more effective tools for dealing with their problems in couples therapy.

While Cutler and his wife may be looked at differently because of their celebrity status, the NFL star maintains that he goes through the same trials and tribulations as anybody else. He added that his personal issues do sometimes bleed into his performance, which prompted him to make a change for the better.

“I think we can all improve. Things at home, things in your life away from work, if they’re not in order, it’s definitely going to affect your professional business,” Cutler said.

The Bears hold the No. 11 pick in the upcoming NFL draft, but it’s safe to say that they won’t be selecting a quarterback now that Cutler is showing more poise both on and off the field.