What a phenomenal night.
It was a game where Vegas, NFL experts nationwide, and even most (hand-raised) Chicagoans thought it was a long shot that the Chicago Bears could beat the Philadelphia Eagles without 18 in the backfield.
We were wrong. I was wrong.
In what can only be described as “the Case Keenum game,” the Bears handled their business and thoroughly defeated the Eagles on Monday Night Football. They did it with QB3. What it was was a work of art.
Both Ben Johnson and Dennis Allen provided a masterclass
of playcalling. Even with the running game struggling for most of the game, Johnson and his QB3, Case Keenum, were able to control the clock with a crisp passing game that kept the chains moving and kept the Eagles offense off the field.
When the Eagles offense did manage to get on the field, Dennis Allen’s defense had them off balance for much of the night. Saquon Barkley had a strong first half of football, but in the second half, the Eagles couldn’t run the football, could barely pass, and were largely stagnant, resulting in zero second-half points.
The coaching was flawless. The player execution was near perfection, but for me, none of it compared to Case Keenum. His on-field performance was memorable; what it meant to him, his family, and his career was something of legend.
Keenum hadn’t played in a football game since 2023. He hadn’t been a regular on the field since before this decade began. His career was over. He was set to retire, something he would have done after the 2024 season, but Ben Johnson called him up and said, hey, how would you like to be a Chicago Bear?
Keenum has always respected and appreciated Johnson and was excited for the opportunity to work with him. So Keenum signed with the Bears on a one-year deal in 2025. It went so well for both sides that Keenum actually re-signed for a 2-year deal in 2026.
Keenum knew his role. He wasn’t going to play. He was basically an additional coach in the QB room. He was a mentor to Caleb Williams. If Caleb couldn’t play, capable QB2 Tyson Bagent would be the man.
It would take an act of God for Keenum to play. He was good with that. He had accepted that. His role in the NFL had changed. He was more coach than player, even if he still wore the uniform.
But then it happened. The durable Caleb Williams injured his hamstring, and a few plays later, Bagent was concussed. The Bears entered week three down to one healthy QB. Yes, Bagent cleared concussion protocol in time to play, but Keenum had handled the practice reps; Keenum had been QB1 all week, and Keenum would get the nod.
And he took advantage of that opportunity. 24 of 34, 247 passing yards, 2 passing touchdowns, 1 rushing touchdown, and 0 sacks. Keenum was incredible. It was a part of his life that he had said goodbye to, and yet suddenly, he had one more opportunity to shine, and that opportunity came on national television on Monday Night Football.
Keenum took it all in stride. He said all the right things in the interviews and press conferences before the game. He seemed a little nervous, yet somehow at ease all at the same time. But there was one thing that had never happened previously in his career. His children were never old enough to see him play and recognize that their dad was playing in the NFL.
Some NFL players have kids at a young age, and that’s part of their NFL experience. Others have them later in their 30s, and when they do, most kids have grown up and know that their dad was an NFL player, but they rarely are in a position where that isn’t in the past tense.
I asked Kyle Long about that, and he said it doesn’t even register in his memory; his father, Hall of Famer Howie Long, retired when he was 4. But Keenum’s son and daughter were able to see their father in action. They were able to see him stand tall in the pocket, deliver strikes all over the football field, and even score a touchdown. They saw their father win a football game on Monday Night Football.
You could tell the kids were excited, but you could tell it meant something on an entirely different level for Keenum. It was a gift that he never thought he would be able to receive. It was something he never thought he could share with his children. But fate changed all that, and Keenum delivered in a way that we will all remember.
Keenum could start against the Jets, and it may not go well, or Keenum could make his way back to the bench with a healthy Tyson Bagent. There is a fairly strong chance that this was Case Keenum’s final game in the NFL.
When players have solid but not spectacular careers, players like Keenum usually fade into the horizon. They are the type of players where we go, “What happened to X?” Only to find out that they spent a forgettable year on the Carolina Panthers two years ago, were never re-signed, and faded out of the league. But it makes no headlines. That’s usually how the twilight of a career goes for someone like Keenum.
But Keenum got one more opportunity. He had one more chance. He went out there and turned back the clock. He did it for the city. He did it for his coaches. He did it for his teammates. He did it for his family. He did it for himself.
“The Case Keenum” Game may not be remembered in many national NFL circles by 2045, but for fans of the Chicago Bears, it’ll go down as a legendary performance that we will never forget.
