Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler likely will undergo surgery on a broken thumb on his throwing hand, league sources told NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora on Sunday night.
Cutler will undergo further tests Monday on the injury, which he suffered during the Bears' 31-20 victory over the San Diego Chargers earlier Sunday.
Bears coach Lovie Smith confirmed Cutler's injury in a radio interview Monday morning and said Cutler injured the thumb when he was taken down by Chargers linebacker Donald Butler following an interception in the fourth quarter.
"Jay does have a right thumb fracture," Smith told WBBM-AM 780, via the Chicago Tribune. "He hurt it on the tackle on the interception. Of course, we took X-rays last night and he'll be seeing specialists this morning and we'll be able to tell you a little more after that."
There is no timetable for Cutler's return, but he could be out indefinitely, according to La Canfora.
Smith would not speculate on how many games Cutler could miss.
"I'm not going to play doctor right now," he said. "We are going through the process. We will be able to tell you a little bit more. It's all we know right now."
Cutler played the entire game, completing 18 of 31 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns with one interception, as the Bears won their fifth in a row.
Caleb Hanie likely would start against the Oakland Raiders in Week 12 if Cutler can't play. Nathan Enderle is the Bears' third-string quarterback.
