Case Keenum Leads Bears to Victory in First NFL Start in Three Years
The veteran quarterback, 38, stepped in for injured starters and guided Chicago to a dominant win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Veteran quarterback Case Keenum, 38, made a triumphant return to the NFL, leading the Chicago Bears to a 27-7 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night. It marked Keenum's first start in three years.
Keenum was thrust into the starting role due to injuries to the Bears' quarterback room. Starting quarterback Caleb Williams was sidelined with a right hamstring injury sustained the previous week, and backup Tyson Bagent entered the NFL's concussion protocol mid-week. This situation forced head coach Ben Johnson to turn to the third-string veteran.
Keenum demonstrated no signs of rust, delivering a performance that outplayed Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, the reigning Super Bowl MVP. Keenum threw for 247 yards on 24-of-34 passing, marking his 80th and 81st career touchdown passes. He also scored his first rushing touchdown since 2019 on a one-yard run, capping a 58-yard drive.
He opened the scoring for the Bears by connecting with wide receiver Luther Burden III for an early touchdown. Later, Keenum hit Kalif Raymond for a 41-yard touchdown pass. His performance included no interceptions, contributing to Chicago's decisive win.
The unexpected and effective performance from Keenum drew widespread praise and surprise from fans on social media. Many expressed astonishment at his play, with some noting his statistics surpassed those of other struggling quarterbacks.
Keenum signed with the Bears in April 2025 and this marked his first regular-season action since December 24, 2023, when he started for the Houston Texans. His start against the Eagles was his 67th career start and his 81st regular-season game played since his NFL debut in 2013.