Case Keenum confirms he's at Halas Hall as more than a QB mentor

"I've competing my whole life," Keenum said. "I show up every day and hope my locker is not cleaned out, man. That's how I treat every day. I compete against myself, compete against the guys in that room. I compete against the defense we're playing that day and then every day. I've competed my whole life.

"I have a knack of sticking around and being ready to go when my name is called, no matter when that is or how that is. I'm impressed with that whole room."

However, Keenum does know he has great value as a mentor considering how inexperienced both Williams and Bagent are. Williams has been an avid learner.

“He's a sponge," Keenum said. "For being an all-world talent, a guy who's, since high school been the best player on any field anywhere he has ever stepped on, to be humble enough to ask me questions and watch and learn has been really refreshing to see.

"A guy that young and that talented, but still take what I have to say. It's been really fun.”

He also has plenty of good things to say about Bagent, while he tries to take away his backup job. There is no guarantee the Bears would keep a third QB on the roster, although Johnson and the Lions did this at times.

"I think Tyson's going to play a long time in this league. I really do," Keenum said. "He is very athletic. He's trained and he is hungry. He's one of the most well-prepared guys on that field every day, so I'm very impressed with him.

"And Austin (Reed), I see a lot of myself in Austin. A young guy that just needs a shot and is hungry, doesn't get a ton of reps, but man makes the most of him when he can.”

Keenum has plenty of experience as a mentor, the last two years coming as someone who helped C.J. Stroud.

"C.J.'s a special player," Keenum said. "He did stuff as a rookie I don't know if I've ever seen any quarterback do. I think honestly, probably should have been more in contention for the MVP that year if he wasn't a rookie and it hadn't taken people by surprise.

"I think he would've been more in the discussion for MVP, not just Offensive Rookie of the Year. That's how special I think that young man is. I learned a lot. It's really fun to lead from behind. Not necessarily be the one out in front but helping support the guy who's leading in front. That was pretty special to do.”

Keenum, author of the Minneapolis Miracle of playoff fame while facing the Saints after the 2017 season, has appeared in only four games since 2019 and has completed 88 of 142 since then for four touchdowns and 615 yards.

Keenum's offensive coordinator, Declan Doyle, is eight years younger than he is, and it's a fact that hasn't escaped him.

"You had to remind me of that huh?" he told the laughing media mob at Halas Hall. "I noticed Declan likes to grow his beard out to look a little bit older and I try to shave to look a little bit younger.

"It's funny to think about some of those things, but I forget about it. That dude is sharp. He's like our resident fact checker, he just knows the offense inside and out. And he's been here, what, like a month or two? He’s just a very sharp guy. I've got a ton of respect for him."

As a mentor and an old guy who's obviously been around, Keenum seems like a natural to become a coach at some point. Many players dislike the idea of doing that job after being exposed to it for a while because they realize all the long hours it entails.

“We'll see," he said. "You can ask my wife about that one."

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