Case Keenum was still on a victory lap late Monday night, reliving his impressive performance in the Chicago Bears' 27-7 blowout of the Philadelphia Eagles when a question about next week interrupted his delight.
Well, not really next week but this week -- a shorter process of recovery, review and reset for Bears players as they spin quickly toward Week 4. Even for a veteran journeyman quarterback riding this exhilarating high, the reality check for "Monday Night Football" turnaround came through like a free runner off the edge. And so, even if only for 20 seconds or so, Keenum was forced to confront the "What's next?" scenarios and think about his potential duties for the Bears' next challenge.
"That's the best part of the NFL," Keenum said. "What's your reward for doing whatever it is (I did) on a night like this? You get to do it all again. So we'll prepare and see what happens this week. Who knows?"
At that point, the Bears weren't clear on how they would handle their quarterback pecking order in a short week ahead of Sunday's home game against the New York Jets. On the depth chart, Keenum is still the team's No. 3 quarterback. And with Tyson Bagent clearing concussion protocol over the weekend, the door remains open for him to get his first start since 2023 as Caleb Williams continues rehabilitating from his hamstring strain.
Yet is it really practical for Bears coach Ben Johnson to turn so quickly to Bagent after Keenum's performance Monday in such a convincing win -- 247 passing yards, two touchdown passes, another TD run with no sacks and no turnovers? Johnson wouldn't offer comment Tuesday during his interview on ESPN Radio 1000 other than that they will see how things play out.
That's the riddle being solved at Halas Hall this week and a brainteaser we're trying to sound out in this spirited back and forth.
Dan Wiederer: We all heard Johnson's message loud and clear late Monday.
"We'll have a discussion as a coaching staff, and we'll see where we need to go from here," he noted. "But I said it last week, and I'll say it again. There was a reason why Tyson ended training camp as our No. 2 quarterback."
That felt far less like gamesmanship and much more like a hint, if you ask me, an early tell that the Bears will ride Bagent into Week 4 with Keenum leaving the starter's stage for a backup role.
Practically, that would make sense. When better players and better options are available, you take that route. But Monday night felt like something more than just a relief-filled home win in Williams' absence. Keenum brought purpose to the huddle and magic to the air, operating the offense at a high level, getting the ball where it needed to go and managing the game with poise and trust.
Is it risky to turn away from that momentum so quickly? If it were you, Kev, would you lean into the temptation to ride the hot hand?
Kevin Fishbain: Conventional wisdom would be to stick with the guy who showed on primetime against Vic Fangio's defense. Or is conventional wisdom that Bagent is ahead of Keenum on the depth chart and he should start with a full week of practice? One thing Johnson is emphatic about, though, is that every week is a new week. Just because Keenum lit the Eagles up doesn't mean he'll do the same to the Jets, especially on short rest.
We should step back for a moment -- in the history of bad Bears quarterbacks, what an incredible problem to have. The Bears finally have "the guy" in Williams. He gets hurt. His backup gets concussed, and the No. 3 has one of the greatest fill-in performances in team history. And now the city will debate which backup should start while feeling good about both. 2004, this is not.
But back to Johnson. He is the type to view the situation simply -- if Bagent gives them the best chance to win and he's healthy, he should be the guy. I'm not sure this is a "hot hand" situation. Remember, this is a Bears team that went from 59 points in Week 1 to three points in Week 2. Things can change like that. And while I don't expect this to happen, Keenum could say he had the best possible outcome on Monday night; he might be OK being the No. 2 again. Go out on a high note!
Wiederer: Honestly, it was cool to observe and feel just how much fun Keenum had leaning into his opportunity Monday night. And from all accounts, he was radiating that same enthusiasm throughout the entire week of preparation. What a crazy luxury for the Bears -- and it was by design -- to be so deep in the QB depth chart during a trying week yet still be able to turn to a 15-year veteran with more than 2,200 regular-season pass attempts. Keenum's experience was obvious against Philly. His connection with Johnson was, too.
But I also can't stop thinking about Bagent and what he did to earn an opportunity to start. And I can't imagine how emotionally difficult last week was for him as his chance to shine on the "Monday Night Football" stage slipped by because of that concussion. Fate can be fickle.
So what awaits Bagent now? Can you argue that, regardless of Keenum's play Monday, Bagent deserves the next start for how he's developed under Johnson's watch? Doesn't part of you think Johnson would relish the opportunity to win games with three starting quarterbacks over the first four weeks of the season?
And yes, while the Bears' decision on this front must revolve around beating the Jets, wouldn't the organization have some peripheral big-picture value to showcase for Bagent with hopes of boosting his potential trade value?
I'm just machine-gunning questions here, Kev. You owe the people some answers!
Fishbain: Here's a fun hypothetical -- what if Williams can beat the timeline and return in time to face the Green Bay Packers in Lambeau on Oct. 11? I'm getting ahead of myself, as the Jets will be a tough opponent, but has a team won three consecutive games with three different starting quarterbacks?
Keenum's performance combined with a clunky finish to the Minnesota Vikings game for Bagent could make a case for Keenum starting. Keep rolling with him. But what Bagent did in relief in the rain against Brian Flores' defense -- he got them down to the 12-yard line on the final drive -- shouldn't negate everything he's done to earn a contract extension and be the No. 2 quarterback.
I'm falling into coachspeak, Dan, but I'll hammer it again -- who gives the Bears the best chance to win, Keenum or Bagent? The depth chart, which hasn't changed since the summer of 2025, would say Bagent. It'd be a massive opportunity for Bagent to get another start, prove to the league he's one of the 32 best quarterbacks in football and show his coach is right. We just saw the New York Giants desperately trade a fifth-round pick for J.J. McCarthy. What if Bagent goes on a run? What could that do to his trade value?
It sets up for quite the dynamic, doesn't it? In August, Bagent called Keenum "the greatest teammate I've ever had in my career," adding, "(Keenum) has (also) allowed me to become even a better player and even a better teammate than I could've imagined." Plenty of bro hugs will surely happen in that quarterback room. Couldn't you picture Keenum, in his Texas twang, saying, "Golly Tys, I had a blast, it's your time." Or maybe it'd be Bagent saying, "Man, you were bleeping electric. Keep rolling."
Wiederer: You make a great point. And it's that the harmony inside the Bears' quarterback room is genuine and at a crazy high level right now. That's cool.
I asked Keenum about Bagent late Monday night, with the understanding that, given their mutual admiration, Keenum had to have at least a few ounces of empathy, understanding that his big opportunity came because of Bagent's minor misfortune.
"I love Tyson, man," Keenum said. "I've made that pretty clear how I feel about him and the type of player he is. To have him back in the building, even though it was late in the week, meant a lot. Having him on the sideline.
"He's become a very close friend and somebody who helped me prepare and kept me honest. He's one of the smartest quarterbacks I've ever played with. So, who knows how this week will go? I think we'll both be ready for anything."
On that final sentiment, you and I would both offer an "Amen!" That readiness factor for these Bears quarterbacks has been elite and invaluable.
Fishbain: Any Bears fan knows what a ridiculous privilege it is to have this quarterback room, but even if you were born a week ago, you could see the advantages. I mentioned the Giants already, but how about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers having to go to an undrafted rookie to replace an injured Baker Mayfield?
If Bagent does get the nod, the Bears can feel good about Keenum being ready if needed, and vice versa. To my point throughout, though, about how each week is its own week, we can't necessarily expect whoever gets the nod Sunday to slice and dice how Keenum did Monday night, but the player caller is one constant hovering over this QB2 "debate." We saw against the Eagles, as we've seen countless times, how Johnson, the offensive line and a collection of skill players can put the quarterback in position to succeed.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
