Posted by Josh Katzowitz As the lockout continues with no sign of let-up – meaning team-wide offseason workouts and mini-camps are not on the docket – many players are spending time expanding their horizons.
Ravens S Tom Zbikowski, for instance, is trying to determine if he can make it as a top-notch boxing contender, while another Ravens S, Haruki Nakamura, organized a relief effort for those suffering in Japan.
Now, we see another story of an NFLer who is trying to better himself in a different way. And the player might surprise you.
Bears QB Jay Cutler – who people, including his fellow players apparently, just love to hate – recently took a trip to Kenya with the non-profit OneKid OneWorld (a charity that benefits students and teachers in El Salvador and Kenya) in which he visited a small town in the Rift Valley that had been without water for more than two months.
‘‘After all the turmoil we go through here, everyone thinks we have so many problems,” Cutler told the Chicago Sun-Times. “But to see what they have to deal with and to see how grateful they are to have water is just amazing.”
More from the story:
At an all-girls school and orphanage, Cutler was left alone in a classroom full of high school students. When other volunteers later returned, they discovered Cutler teaching the girls physics.
‘‘Jay was so into it,’’ McCubbin said. ‘‘He’s so amazing with kids.’’
| Cutler's Cause |
Cutler marveled at the spirit of the students he interacted with, and he marveled at the challenges they face in even going to class because of family obligations.
‘‘They have 1,000 reasons not to go to school,’’ Cutler said. ‘‘But you could tell how grateful they were for the opportunity.’’
Much of the time, Cutler comes off as awfully surly, especially when dealing with the media (and, by extension, his fans). But it’s nice here to see him making such a difference.
For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @cbssportsnfl on Twitter and subscribe to our RSS Feed .
