When spending his summer preparing for the 2026 season, Bears coach Ben Johnson probably didn't anticipate a quarterback conundrum.
That's not exactly what's happening in Chicago right now, either. But Johnson spent his Wednesday fielding questions regarding who will start under center for him in Week 4 against the visiting Jets.
Unsurprisingly, he didn't provide a firm answer.
"We've got three guys," Johnson said, via the team's official site. "We'll work through the week and see where they're at."
Logic and recent events would lead one to expect Johnson to continue with 38-year-old Case Keenum, the 14-year veteran who propelled the Bears to a 20-point win over the Eagles on Monday night by completing 24 of 34 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns. It's not quite that simple, though.
Keenum is listed as Chicago's third-string quarterback behind younger backup Tyson Bagent and Madden NFL 27 cover star Caleb Williams, whose Week 2 hamstring injury threw the Bears into uncertainty. Keenum was initially an afterthought, too, until it was revealed Bagent had suffered a concussion in the Week 2 loss to Minnesota and was in concussion protocol.
Keenum responded as any capable, experienced veteran would, stepping into the role and giving his best effort. It produced stunning results, helping the Bears to a dominant victory and settling the concerns regarding Chicago's situation under center for a week.
That doesn't mean Johnson is necessarily going to ride the hot hand, though.
"We're looking at everything," Johnson said. "He played really well the other night. Sure, that plays a part of the evaluation."
Johnson has a game for which he must plan, of course, and determining who is handling the snaps is an important part of the process. He's already completed that process, the coach said Wednesday; he just isn't revealing who he's selected.
Instead, he's keeping that secret as a competitive advantage. In the meantime, folks outside Halas Hall can spend the week reviewing what's occurred and conclude it's especially helpful to have three competent quarterbacks on a roster.
Johnson would agree.
"It's not hard for me at all," he said. "I feel really good about all three quarterbacks in that room, and I know all three of them can win ballgames for us."
