Image: Instagram / ifjayhadinstagram
Retired American footballer Jay Cutler has ignited global controversy after sharing photos of himself posing with a dead sable antelope during a hunting trip in the Eastern Cape.
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The 42-year-old ex-Chicago Bears quarterback posted the image to Instagram over the weekend, captioned: “Kicked off the Africa hunt with a beauty. Sable down.”
The photo, showing Cutler crouched behind the antelope’s body, triggered an immediate wave of backlash online. Many users condemned the former athlete for what they see as senseless trophy hunting, particularly of a species not commonly targeted in the region.
“Wow, Jay. You killed a wild animal in a place it’s rarely hunted and it had zero idea you were a threat,” one user commented. Another wrote, “I went to Africa on a safari and saw the most incredible wildlife and never once thought about murdering them.”
Despite the criticism, Cutler continued to post about his hunting exploits, sharing footage of further kills and captioning another image: “Another great day.”
Cutler, who has taken up hunting as a regular pastime since retiring from the NFL in 2017, has not responded directly to the backlash.
However, some defenders in the comment section have argued that the meat from such hunts often goes to local communities, claiming it supports food-insecure areas — a justification widely debated in conservation circles.
The incident has reignited polarising discussions around trophy hunting in South Africa, a practice that remains legal under strict regulation.
While proponents argue that it contributes to conservation funding and rural development, critics call it exploitative and incompatible with modern wildlife protection ethics.
Cutler is no stranger to controversy. He made headlines in 2024 following an arrest for driving under the influence and illegal possession of a firearm. His high-profile divorce from reality TV personality Kristin Cavallari in 2020 also drew significant media attention.
Now, his latest trip to South Africa — and the decision to turn it into a public spectacle — has placed him at the centre of another storm, one that continues to draw condemnation from conservationists, animal rights advocates, and previous fans.
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