Ex-NFL Star Jay Cutler Is Jailed Near His Home in Tennessee After Pleading Guilty to DUI

Former Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has reported to a Tennessee jail to serve a four-day sentence for DUI—almost one year after he was arrested for allegedly hitting another vehicle near his home in Franklin, TN.

Cutler, 42, who was previously married to "Laguna Beach" star Kristin Cavallari, pleaded guilty to one count of driving under the influence last month as part of a deal that saw one weapon possession charge dismissed. The former NFL star was also told he'd have to give up his gun.

The former sports sensation turned reality TV star was arrested in October 2024, when officers on the scene said that he was slurring his speech and had refused to take part in field sobriety tests.

He was later taken to a local hospital, where a blood sample was taken under a warrant.

Local police discovered two firearms in his vehicle—one of which was loaded—and he was later charged with DUI, failure to exercise due care to avoid a collision, implied consent, and possession of a handgun while under the influence, according to the New York Post.

As part of his plea deal, all charges bar the DUI were dismissed and Cutler was sentenced to four days in jail. He must also attend a DUI safety class following his release, which is expected to be on Friday, and will be on supervised probation for a year.

His driver's license was revoked, and he has to pay a $350 fine.

Cutler reported to the Williamson County Jail on the morning of Sept. 29 to begin his sentence, according to TMZ.

The former NFL star—who also played for the Denver Broncos and the Miami Dolphins during his 12-season career—is also being sued by the man he is accused of rear-ending, per TMZ.

Perry Lee alleged in his lawsuit that Cutler was "at fault" for the collision, claiming that the former athlete failed to use "reasonable and due care" while driving behind him.

Lee claims that the collision left him in "daily pain," which has "eroded his quality of life." He says he has also been left with mounting medical bills.

"Our client is a veteran who was injured in a car crash due to the alleged negligence of another driver," Lee's attorneys, John Morgan and Sydney Pierce, told TMZ. "His injuries cause him daily pain and have eroded his quality of life. We are seeking justice so he can get the care he needs."

Cutler does, however, have some more positive milestones to look ahead to—namely his marriage to Samantha Robertson, whom he proposed to in November 2024.

The duo went public as a couple in September 2023, three years after Cutler's split from Cavallari, whom he had been married to for nine years.

Earlier this year, Cavallari revealed that she had met Robertson before her divorce to Cutler was finalized in 2022, adding that this helped her to get to grips with the romance in private.

"I knew her before [the divorce]," she explained during a June episode of her docuseries, "Honestly Cavallari: The Headline Tour." "So I think that helped, because I could sort of envision their dynamic."

In 2022, she also told "Call Her Daddy" podcast host Alex Cooper that she hoped her former spouse would remarry, noting that it was in her best interests that he find happiness, at least for the sake of their three kids: Camden, 13, Jaxon, 11, and Saylor, 9.

"I mean, I want him happy,” she shared. “My kids benefit from that, you know. So I hope that he gets remarried. I mean, I really do."

Not long before he proposed, Cutler bid farewell to a major part of his marriage to Cavallari—by selling the Franklin mansion that they had shared with their children.

The former NFL star initially listed the home for sale for $11 million in March 2023, according to records. He struggled to find a buyer for the abode, ultimately accepting an offer of $7.9 million about a year later.

Meanwhile, Cavallari moved into a nearby home in the wake of their split—which she later referred to as her "divorce house."

The former "Laguna Beach" star purchased the four-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom property for $3 million in April 2020, the same month that she and Cutler announced their separation.

After purchasing the property, Cavallari teamed up with interior designer April Tomlin for an 18-month transformation that saw the abode get a greenhouse, an in-ground pool, an upgraded kitchen, and a renovated bathroom.

Following the transformation, she told My Domaine, "I am really thankful because this is the first house I've ever lived in that is exactly what I wanted aesthetically.

"To be able to come home to this environment is so nice for me. I can't say enough good things about Tennessee. It's very grounding for me and I feel so at ease here."

She also gushed about the role that the property had played in her postdivorce journey in an episode of her podcast, explaining that it was the place in which she felt able to "heal" after the split.

“This is the house that I healed in and, in a way, yeah, this is like my divorce house,” she said. “But there is something about completely starting over and having a fresh start now. I do feel like I’m in a completely different place in my life than I was four years ago, obviously.”

At the time, Cavallari explained that she was ready to find a new home—and was therefore preparing to sell her "divorce house" to let go of that chapter of her life once and for all.

“Having that complete fresh start is going to be really nice for me,” she said.

Cavallari sold her "divorce house" for $7.75 million in April of this year, having initially listed it for $11 million in June 2024.