Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is mindful of head coach Lovie Smith's job security heading into the 2010 season.

"Lovie is one of the best coaches I've been around, and I know that everyone on this team has a great amount of respect for him as he does for us," Cutler said, according to Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times. "I know that some of the guys who have been here longer than me definitely have a lot of ties with him and want to go out there for him and play well.

"You never know what's going to happen this year, if we don't go out and perform, if Lovie is to stay or not. So, that's definitely a question that, I'm sure, is in the back of everyone else's mind. But we can't worry about it. We have to play hard, and if we do that, everything else will take care of itself."

Since hiring Smith in 2004, the Bears are 52-44 during the regular season, winning back-to-back NFC North titles in 2005 and 2006. The Bears are 2-2 in post-season, and lost to the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI. In the last three seasons, however, the Bears are 23-25 and have missed the post-season.

Smith, 52, has two years and $11 million dollars remaining on a contract extension signed after the Bears' Super Bowl season in 2006.

For more from Cutler on Mike Martz, mood and expectations for camp, and approach to the season, click here.