As Case Keenum heads into his 12th NFL season, the Chicago Bears’ backup quarterback is looking forward to sharing the wealth of knowledge he’s gained over a lengthy career spanning eight teams.
With years of experience under his belt, Keenum believes he has invaluable insights to offer to the young quarterbacks in the room, particularly starter Caleb Williams.
Serving as the Bears’ backup, Keenum is enthusiastic about the opportunity to work with the highly touted Williams, confident that the young QB’s natural talent will be complemented by the wisdom Keenum can provide.
“I watched all of Caleb and was blown away by the skill set,” Keenum told ChicagoBears.com. “I did not know him personally, but man, watching some of the throws and things that he’s able to do in games he’s able to win and plays he’s able to make, it’s like, ‘oh my, he’s got everything you could possibly want in an NFL quarterback.’
“I’ve just been in a lot of situations, and I’ve gotten the crap knocked out of me a bunch, and more than knowing how to get hit, I know how to get back up and I know what it takes to play at a very high level in this league.”
Keenum, whose career has seen its fair share of ups and downs, knows what it takes to succeed in the league, not just in terms of raw talent, but in terms of resilience and mindset.
For Keenum, his impact on the Bears won’t only come from his time on the field, but from his leadership off of it.
As a seasoned veteran, he understands that team culture is just as important as on-field performance.
With new head coach Ben Johnson focused on building a winning culture in Chicago, Keenum is eager to contribute to that vision.
“I know where I’m at in my career and what I can bring to a team,” Keenum continued. “For me, a lot of it is not just on the field. I still feel like I have a lot of juice left and can play at a high level, but it’s also about the off-the-field things you do during offseason workouts and the relationships you build, the trust you build, the culture that you want to help instill.”
Though Keenum’s role will likely be limited this season – with the expectation that he won’t see much playing time unless the Bears are in a blowout scenario – he’s confident that his presence in the quarterback room will make a significant impact.
He believes his mentorship and experience can help shape Williams and the team into something special, regardless of how much action he sees on the field.
We all know the importance of smart, veteran backup quarterbacks – especially when it comes to mentoring young potential stars such as Williams … Do you think Keenum’s leadership will help bring out the best in Caleb?
Just how worried should the other teams in the NFC North be about Williams and the Bears???
