People with T1 often must combat the perception that they are somehow fragile and unreliable. While there have been many people with diabetes who work hard to combat that stereotype by becoming elite athletes who compete in grueling competitions (including our own publisher, Andy Holder), the stereotype still lingers.

Well, the diabetes community has earned another talking point on T1 toughness with the news that the Chicago Bears have just signed their quarterback, Jay Cutler, to a new 7-year contract. Exact terms of the contract have not been disclosed, but it’s believed to be worth at least $50 million in base salary, meaning that Cutler, who is T1, gets that money just by signing on the dotted line. If Cutler stays healthy, football analysts believe he is sure to earn much more than $15 million a year. So if you’re keeping score, that’s a successful business which is betting millions that someone with T1 is going to stay healthy for 7 years in one of the most physically brutal workplaces on the planet. We don’t even sign up our presidents to stay in office that long!