Case Keenum is entering his 13th NFL season this year and first with the Bears as their third-string signal caller. Now he plays a small but crucial role in mentoring a young and inexperienced quarterback room, led by Caleb Williams.
Keenum’s Playing Days Come to a Close
Coming into this season, the Houston Cougar alumnus has made a total of 66 starts over his career.
His most memorable season was in 2017 with the Minnesota Vikings. Keenum achieved career highs in completion percentage and touchdowns after starting in 14 games for the Vikings, leading them to a first-place finish in the NFC North. Of course, their divisional playoff game that year produced one of the most memorable plays in recent football history: A walk-off touchdown pass from Keenum to Stefon Diggs, now known as the Minneapolis Miracle.
Since then, Keenum has only seen one full year as a starting quarterback and bounced between five teams in the last six seasons. Now, he’s seeing his role shift from what was once a starting quarterback to a premier backup to an experienced journeyman who is being brought in to aid the development of young quarterbacks.
Stepping Into His New Role
In 2023, Keenum signed a two-year deal with the Texans before they drafted C.J. Stroud. Returning to the team he started his career with, and in the same city where he attended college, it was clear what the Texans’ plans were with this signing.
Keenum’s job was to come in and bring a veteran presence to a team whose only two quarterbacks were a rookie and Davis Mills, who was entering his third season. Keenum saw two games of action that year as the team went on to win their division for the first time since 2019 behind the stellar play of their first-round draft pick, Stroud.
In 2024, Keenum didn’t see the field due to a foot injury that landed him on the injured reserve list. This most recent offseason, Keenum signed a one-year deal to become the Chicago Bears’ third quarterback on their roster and a leader of another inexperienced position group.
Chicago’s Outlook
Caleb Williams is going into his second year and has the weight of the world on his shoulders.
After being thrust into a more difficult situation than the organization originally thought last year, both Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson are doing whatever they can to set Williams up for a dominant Year 2.
Major additions to the offensive line were the focal point of the offseason, along with surrounding Caleb with even more young talent in the passing game. Still, what may be the most underrated addition in helping Caleb develop has been the signing of the veteran Keenum.
With second-year quarterback Tyson Bagent as the only other quarterback on the roster the previous season, the Bears lacked someone for either of their young players to lean on in the room or on the field.
There are a lot of growing pains as a young player in this league. Williams is under a huge microscope as the first overall pick starting quarterback for the only team without a 4,000-yard passer in the NFL. Now, both Williams and Bagent can use the luxury of Keenum’s experience to their advantage in hopes of returning the Bears to the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
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