Bears quarterback Jay Cutler on Thursday shot down reports that he was called out directly by wide receiver Brandon Marshall after Chicago's ugly 27-14 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
The Chicago Tribune among others noted that a voice sounding like Marshall's could be heard shouting at his teammates in the locker room before the media was allowed in. A source told ESPN.com's Michael C. Wright that Cutler was at the center of the storm.
The veteran passer denied that, per NFL Media's Albert Breer, saying that Marshall "didn't come near me. He didn't say my name. I don't think he attacked anyone personally."
Said Cutler: "He's an emotional guy. Whenever he gets frustrated, he's going to get emotional most of the time. He's going to speak from the heart, and he's going to make sure everyone else around him hears him, so it wasn't anything that caught us off-guard or was off-putting."
It's worth noting that the pair are close friends off the field, with Cutler saying that he spoke directly with Marshall on Monday before the two enjoyed a productive practice session on Wednesday.
"He wants to win. ... I understand his frustration," said Cutler, telling the media that "Brandon wasn't the only one frustrated in the locker room. Brandon was probably just the only one you guys heard."
Bears teammates are used to Marshall wearing his heart on his sleeve, with the quarterback acknowledging that "some people are indifferent" and others are "responding well" to the words the wideout spoke to the team.
"Like I said, I don't think anyone's taking it negatively," Cutler said. "It was a frustrating loss for all of us, so I think once guys left the locker room, that's kind of where it died."
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