Lovie Smith. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
UPDATED: 11/12/2012 1:15 p.m.
CHICAGO (CBS) – The Bears will continue to evaluate the condition of Jay Cutler on Monday after the quarterback suffered a concussion during the first half against the Houston Texans on Sunday.
Bears coach Lovie Smith told WBBM Newsradio’s Josh Liss on Monday morning that it’s too soon to know when Cutler will be cleared to play.
“Really, we are just evaluating right now,” Smith said. “It’s early in the morning, there’s nothing more I can tell you now. There’s a long process that goes into that.”
Smith asked fans to be patient, while doctors determine the severity of Cutler’s injury.
“We’ll never let a player go back out there on the football field until he is ready,” Smith said.
Cutler took a blow to the head on an illegal hit during the second quarter of the Bears’ 13-6 loss on Sunday night.
The Bears believe the hit resulted in the concussion, and he did not return for the second half.
At his Monday afternoon news conference at Halas Hall, Smith said Cutler was evaluated by doctors and did not show concussion symptoms immediately after the hit by Tim Dobbins. He showed signs of a concussion at halftime, he said.
Smith said he doesn’t know if Cutler will be able to play against San Francisco on Sunday but added, “Of course, he’s getting better.”
CBS 2′s Megan Mawicke reports that Cutler left Halas Hall on Monday morning and was being driven by somebody else.
LISTEN: Full Interview With Lovie Smith
