If Jay Cutler’s career with the Chicago Bears is over, as many expect, critics will call it fitting that his final pass was intercepted — a testament to his propensity to force throws into coverage.

Cutler’s supporters will point out he threw that ball with a partially torn labrum (cartilage) in his right shoulder that was extensive enough to require surgery, a testament to his toughness.

The most important stat for any quarterback is his won-lost record, and Cutler’s is 51-51 with the Bears, which doesn’t define him as a winner or a loser.

It’s also worth noting that since 2009 the Bears went 6-15 in games Cutler didn’t start.

The Bears had hoped Cutler could avoid surgery and return this season after a period of rest and rehabilitation. But his injury did not improve, and the surgery will be performed Saturday. He is the 16th Bears player to go on injured reserve this season.

Cutler was hurt during the 22-16 loss to the Giants on Nov. 20 — possibly on the second play from scrimmage when he took a late hit and was knocked to the ground.

“We did try to exhaust all the nonsurgical remedies,” coach John Fox said. “Jay’s a tough guy. He’s proven that to me in the past with multiple different types of rehab. (But) now the next alternative is to have surgery.”

Cutler missed five games earlier this season with a sprained right thumb that occurred in Week 2. In his first week back, he played his best game of the season in a 20-10 upset of the Vikings. The following week, a 26-10 loss to the Buccaneers, was his worst outing. The next week he suffered the shoulder injury, playing well until the final throw.

That three-game stretch

was a microcosm of Cutler’s career here — brilliant one week, brutal the next.

There are four years remaining on the seven-year, $126.7 million deal Cutler signed before the 2014 season. With all of the guaranteed money — $54 million — paid, it would cost the Bears just $2 million in dead salary cap money to waive Cutler.

Keeping him would cost $15 million in base salary and a roster bonus in 2017. That’s more money than a rebuilding team like the Bears would want to pay for a quarterback who will be 34 before training camp starts and coming back from shoulder surgery.

Earlier in the season Fox denied rumors he had told acquaintances he was finished with Cutler after this season. On Thursday, he was asked what he had learned about Cutler in two seasons.

“He’s extremely competitive,” Fox said. “He’s been very tough-minded when he’s had to deal with different surgeries, the hamstring (last season), the thumb and now the shoulder. He’s handled that as well as most guys I’ve ever been associated with.”

The hamstring injury was expected to keep Cutler out 4-6 weeks, but he missed just one game.

“Jay will do anything to keep playing,” offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains said. “When he’s back (after surgery), he’ll be in the quarterbacks room helping out.”

Asked what he’s learned about Cutler in his two years with him, Loggains said: “How tough he is, how much he cares and how much it means to him.”

But in his eight years in Chicago, Cutler was a lightning rod for criticism from outside Halas Hall, for his inconsistent play and the perception that he was aloof. The way he was perceived by others was different from reality, according to teammates and coaches.

Quarterback David Fales, who was re-signed by the Bears last week because of Cutler’s injury, was drafted by the Bears in the sixth round in 2014. He was the No. 3 quarterback behind Cutler for two years before signing with the Ravens earlier this season.

As a rookie, Fales said he didn’t know what to expect from Cutler.

“I’ve watched these guys since I was little,” Fales said, “and when you first get in the league, you’re kind of shellshocked and star-struck. I didn’t know what to expect, but he’s been awesome.”

Fales said some of the negative view of Cutler comes from uninformed outsiders.

“People talk who aren’t in the building,” Fales said. “They don’t know him and aren’t around him and aren’t in the (quarterback) room with him hearing the things that he says and does. People who are talking (badly) about him sometimes don’t really know him.”

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