/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/1823261/145505692.0.jpg)
NBA Hall of Famer and current TV analyst Charles Barkley has stood up for quarterback Jay Cutler when few others have.
So, when Barkley happened to be dining next to Cutler and wide receiver Brandon Marshall Sunday at Chicago Cut Steakhouse, the NBA Hall of Famer decided to buy the pair's dinner, according to Luis Gomez of the Chicago Tribune. Barkley is a regular of Chicago Cut, according to Gomez, and Cutler and Marshall frequent the restaurant as well.
Barkley defended Cutler earlier this season when he shoved teammate J'Marcus Webb, a move that produced a lot of scrutiny for the Bears quarterback. Speaking with ESPN 1000's "The Waddle & Silvy Show," Barkley argued that the criticisms against Cutler are misguided, saying, "There are certain people that the media just don't like."
Barkley even defended Cutler dating back to the 2011 NFC Championship game, when he left the game due to injury and subsequently faced questions regarding his commitment to the team.