QB Jay Cutler once rescued receiver from Las Vegas gambling tab

Las Vegas Review-Journal

4 years ago

Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall in a 2014 game against the Miami Dolphins at Soldi ... — Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall in a 2014 game against the Miami Dolphins at Soldier Field. (Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports)

** FILE ** In this Nov. 6, 2008 file photo, Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall starts to pull a black-and-white glove designed to honor President-elect Barack Obama from his pants after an 11-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan, File) Mark Duncan ** FILE ** In this Nov. 6, 2008 file photo, Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall starts to pull a black-and-white glove designed to honor President-elect Barack Obama from his pants after an 11-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan, File)

Philadelphia Eagles’ Sheldon Brown, left, breaks up a pass intended for Denver Broncos’ Brandon Marshall in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2009, in Philadelphia. Philadelphia won 30-27. (AP Photo/Michael Perez) Michael Perez Philadelphia Eagles’ Sheldon Brown, left, breaks up a pass intended for Denver Broncos’ Brandon Marshall in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2009, in Philadelphia. Philadelphia won 30-27. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)

It’s the kind of story on which Las Vegas was built: A young athlete is comped a few suites, hits the tables, loses $140,000 and asks a star quarterback for a bailout.

Ex-NFL wideout Brandon Marshall recalled his ill-fated gambling run in the debut of his “I Am Athlete” podcast Wednesday. Marshall, who played for seven teams in a 12-year career, reached back to his third year in the league with the Miami Dolphins. Jay Cutler, crucial to this story, was the Dolphins QB.

(And a note on the Vegas coincidences in these names: Jay Cutler is not the bodybuilding champion who has lived here; Brandon Marshall is not the Raiders linebacker who graduated from Cimarron-Memorial and played at UNR.)

“I lost all my money. I started at The Mirage. I was good with my $3,000-$4,000,” Marshall said. He soon learned the concept of a marker, and arranged a line of credit with the casino for $70,000. He lost that.

“I call my people. I’m like, ‘Yo, get me at the Wynn.’ Now, I’m chasing,” Marshall said. “So I go to the Wynn and lose another 70-something thousand dollars. I’m literally in the Wynn hotel, and I call Jay. I’m like, ‘Jay, I’m in some trouble. I need $60,000.’ ”

Marshall didn’t explain the $60,000 figure offsetting losses of $140,000. Probably some quick negotiations. But Cutler completed this pass.

“He’s like, ‘Aw, sheesh. B-Marsh!’ All right. This is what we’re gonna do, though: You’re gonna sign a paper. Some type of document. You owe me,’ ” Marshall said. “As soon as I landed, he had that $60,000 check. I paid the marker off. We went back into the season. … The marker got me.”

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His PodKats podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.