Over the past decade, the Minnesota Vikings have experienced a whirlwind of quarterback drama, with the most memorable rollercoaster beginning when they drafted Teddy Bridgewater with the 32nd overall pick in 2014. After two seasons as the starting quarterback, Bridgewater appeared to be on the verge of a breakthrough during the 2016 preseason—until a devastating knee injury struck during a late practice. That injury was so severe it ended his season and required immediate intervention from head athletic trainer Eric Sugarman to save Bridgewater’s leg.
Less than a week later, on September 3, following Bridgewater’s troubled preseason performance against the San Diego Chargers on August 28, General Manager Rick Spielman and Head Coach Mike Zimmer orchestrated a bold move: they traded a first-round draft pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for injury-plagued former No. 1 overall pick Sam Bradford.
Bradford’s mission was to instantly fill the QB1 role on a Vikings team that was aiming for playoff contention, arriving in Minnesota barely a week before the regular season started. After two impressive opening wins, Bradford’s performance faltered once again, paving the way for the quarterback to take over the reins.
The player who is a former University of Houston standout and the NCAA’s all-time leader in passing yards, touchdowns, and completions, eventually stepped in to become Minnesota’s default quarterback during the 2016 season.
Although he wasn’t flawless, he managed to start 23 games over two seasons, including 14 as the primary starter in 2017. That season, he threw for 3,547 yards, 22 touchdowns, and only 7 interceptions—arguably the best year of his career. Despite these achievements, the Vikings’ fortunes soon turned; a loss in Philadelphia led to the signing of Kirk Cousins and the hiring of John DeFilippo, which marked the end of Keenum’s time in Minnesota.
After leaving the Vikings, Case Keenum found roles as a starter for the Denver Broncos and later as a backup for four different teams. Now, in a surprising twist, he has signed with the Chicago Bears for the 2025 season on a one-year contract worth up to $3 million. This marks his fifth team in his career. Having spent the last two seasons with the Houston Texans, Keenum is set to bring veteran leadership to the Bears’ quarterback room, where he will mentor young signal-caller Caleb Williams.
Keenum last played in the NFL when he started twice in place of C.J. Stroud in 2023, completing 64.2% of his passes with 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions. Notably, he had missed most of the previous season due to a foot injury.
While the $3 million deal is a far cry from the $18 million he earned as a starter in Denver after his stellar season in Minnesota, Keenum’s career earnings are approaching $60 million—a respectable total for a player who entered the league undrafted in 2011. Now, in Chicago, Keenum will join a quarterback room led by first-year head coach Ben Johnson, who recently arrived from Detroit and is tasked with developing the 2024 first overall pick. Keenum’s veteran presence is expected to ease the transition for Williams, just as he has done for other young quarterbacks with teams like the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo. Moreover, if he makes the final roster out of training camp, Keenum could end up facing his former Vikings organization again in 2025, offering a nostalgic reunion at U.S. Bank Stadium and adding another chapter to his storied career in Minnesota.
Leave a Reply