Jay Cutler. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(CBS) Jay Cutler spoke to the media Wednesday for the first time since breaking his thumb and acknowledged that while he really wants to play, it’s possible his season is over.
“I got to be smart about it. Obviously I’d want to play next weekend if they’d let me, but I don’t think that’s going to be in the cards,” he said. “It could be I’m done for the season. I just have to be smart about it and realize there’s a long-term picture here. But at the same point, I want to be out there and my teammates want me to be out there.”
Cutler said he has three screws and two pins in his hand after having surgery. He said the pins will have to come out within three to 10 weeks and it appears those pins will decide whether or not he plays again this season. He said it’s possible he could play with them in his hand.
“It’s just a matter of if they’re not hindering me being able to throw the ball, ” Cutler said. “If I’m comfortable, if they’re not pinching, there’s a lot of factors … Whether I play or not, it all depends on how I feel with them”
Cutler revealed that his thumb was hyper-extended, dislocated and broken. When it happened, he stayed in the game, mainly because he didn’t realize the severity of the injury. He said he told the coaches his thumb was bothering him, but said he would deal with it after the game.
“I was (ticked) at Johnny (Knox) about the pick,” Cutler said. “Coming to the sideline, I didn’t really know. I was more worried about talking to him… in a calm manner. After I settled down and went back out on the field I knew something was definitely wrong. I didn’t imagine I would have to have surgery.”
Long term, he admitted he will lose some flexibility in the thumb. In the meantime, he said it’s very hard for him to sit on the sidelines.
“This is horrible,” Cutler said. “I don’t like this. I don’t like coming to meetings. I don’t like watching practice. I don’t like any of this. It’s not what I signed up for, it’s not anything I’ve been a part of. It’s definitely hard on me. The sooner I can get back out there, the better.”
The Bears quarterback has started rehab, but isn’t sure when he can start throwing.
