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LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Jay Cutler will start at quarterback for the Chicago Bears when they host the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 31 after healing from a sprained thumb. "Jay has been cleared to play by the medical people and he should begin preparation tomorrow," Bears coach John Fox said Monday at Halas Hall.
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Backup Brian Hoyer suffered a broken left arm playing against the Green Bay Packers in the Bears' 26-10 loss Thursday and had surgery on the weekend.
Fox said Cutler had been eager to play even while Hoyer went through a stretch of 200 passes without an interception, five shy of a Bears record.
"I think he's been at the bit for a while," Fox said. "I think anytime you can't play as a competitor, as a player, obviously that's hard and I think he handled it great."
Hoyer was 134-for-200 with six touchdown passes and a 98.0 passer rating. Cutler was 28 for 46 for 373 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions in 1 1/2 games.
According to Fox, the Bears could still sign another quarterback to back up Matt Barkley, who replaced Hoyer in the loss at Green Bay, for the Monday night clash against the NFC North-leading Vikings (5-1).
Initially, Fox hinted that Hoyer might keep the starting job when Cutler was healthy, but he sought to clarify it Monday.
"Some things that I say go somewhere that I wasn't really intending," Fox said. "At the end of the day -- obviously Jay's our starter. He was injured, not permitted to play medically. And now that he's healed he's back to being our starter.
"That's really the facts and kind of what happened and where we're at now. So I don't know that there was a competition to speak of. Just like there wasn't a competition when Matt Barkley went in, he was our only quarterback left. So it's good to have Jay back. We're excited to have him back and hopefully he can remain healthy."
Numerous reports and speculation have said Cutler is in his final season with the Bears. Fox said Cutler has stood up to all this well.
"I think all that for everybody is tough," Fox said. "I think everybody realizes what they signed up for. Obviously as a coach and a staff you're always trying to help your players through stuff like that, but one thing I've found in Jay in the time I've been here is that he's very tough-minded and resilient.
"Obviously he went through a stretch where it's tough not being able to play and watching somebody else play your position is never easy for any competitor at any position, so I think he's handled it great and I think he'll handle it great moving forward."
Center Cody Whitehair said the change doesn't affect how starters play.
"But you know, it is nice to have him back," Whitehair said. "He's been a leader on the sideline even while he wasn't playing and it'll be nice to have him back out there."
