Jay Cutler is right where he wants to be.
Four years after stepping away from the NFL, the former quarterback is mapping out the next phase of his career. As Jay told E! News in an exclusive conversation while promoting his new meat subscription CUTS, there's a reason it's taken this long for the Very Cavallari alum to establish a game plan.
"For me," the 38-year-old explained, "getting out of football and then taking a little bit of time to figure out exactly what I wanted to get involved with and who I wanted to get involved with was really important to me. I've been playing football since I was 5, 6 years old, so it really was my entire focus for the majority of my life. I really didn't have a plan B, so I wanted to make sure that my next couple ventures were things that I enjoyed doing and could sustain for a long amount of time."
For more from Jay, including the latest on co-parenting with ex Kristin Cavallari and his personal advice for fellow pro athlete Aaron Rodgers, read our interview below!
E! News: Father's Day is right around the corner. How are you and the kids going to celebrate this year?
Jay Cutler: I think anyone that has little kids can probably testify to this on Mother's Day or Father's Day. You start off and you get your handmade presents for them and then anything else and sometimes they want to make breakfast for you in bed, but it's 6 a.m. and the kids have this idea of letting you sleep in. I remember doing it, but all you hear is pots and pans and yelling and screaming. Then once you're through the morning rush, they tend to forget it's Mother's Day or Father's Day. It's just back to all about them. It's the thought that counts, so it's gonna be fun.
E!: Do you have anything planned for them? It's hard because they're young.
JC: They're so young. We went to a brunch with Kristin for Mother's Day. We'll figure out something fun for them.
E!: Obviously last year was hard on everyone, especially having to split time with the kids and keep them occupied at home. How did that go?
JC: It's good. I mean, kids are resilient. With school and all the activities, we've done a good job of putting them first.
E!: Between going from the NFL to reality TV, you've been through it all. Do you have advice for fellow athletes like Aaron Rodgers on balancing football with maintaining a relationship in the spotlight?
JC: Good question. I don't think Aaron needs any advice. He's figured it out. I've known Aaron for a while, so he'll be good. I would just say keep your circles tight and trust the people that really care and value you. There's going to be ups and downs in life, that's just kind of part of it. You have to keep going on.
E!: Living in Nashville, you run in some pretty star-studded circles. After celebrating Thanksgiving with Carrie Underwood, fans are curious about how that friendship came to be.
JC: I've known [Carrie's husband] Mike [Fisher] for a while and we all kind of live rather close to each other. The three of us all live in the same general area, and all of the kids play together. It's been a fun friendship.
E! You've teamed up with Pat LaFrieda to launch CUTS, a monthly subscription box of American-raised and grazed meats. It seems like a very Jay Cutler thing to do. Talk to us about the partnership.
JC: Pat is top of the line. His family's been in the business for 100 years. We're doing one-month, three-month and six-month subscriptions. Pat and myself are picking out the products that are getting sent out each month. It's all USDA prime and Pat picks from the top 4 percent of beef in the country.
(This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.)