Posted by ESPN.com's Bill Williamson
Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler may speak publicly as soon as this morning regarding the disclosure that he has Type 1 diabetes, the most serious form of the disease.
Cutler, who turned 25 on Monday, has known his diagnosis for several weeks. He said in an interview with a Denver television station Thursday night that his physicians believe he was first feeling effects during last season when he dropped about 10 pounds. Cutler ended up losing several more pounds before he was diagnosed. However, he has regained weight and the disease is stabilized. Cutler is expected to participate in all of Denver's offseason camps.
However, Cutler's life will certainly change. He will rely on insulin and have to take several shots a day to regulate blood-sugar levels. It will be an adjustment for the talented quarterback, who the Broncos are expecting to be the face of the franchise for the next 10 years.
However, Broncos personnel are confident that once Cutler gets used to this lifestyle change, he will be able to continue his quest to become one of the league's better quarterbacks. Team insiders are thankful the season is four months away so Cutler has a chance to prepare to play with his condition. Of course, there is concern when an athlete has to deal with a condition as serious as diabetes, but several athletes have played professionally despite having this form of diabetes. Adam Morrison of the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats has lived with the disease for several years.
A sign that the Broncos are comfortable with Cutler having a productive career is that they didn't use one of their nine draft picks on a quarterback last weekend despite knowing of Cutler's condition.
