Chicago Bears veteran quarterback Case Keenum joined former NFL center Mitch Morse on his podcast, and the two talked about starting quarterback Caleb Williams and his 2025 season.
Caleb Williams didn't have a veteran quarterback to lean on during his rookie season.
That dynamic changed when Ben Johnson became the Bears' head coach. Chicago signed veteran Case Keenum. The 38-year-old quarterback entered the NFL in 2012 as an undrafted free agent and has carved out a long career as a backup and, at times, as a starter.
Although Keenum didn't play a single snap last season, he still played a valuable role on the Bears' roster. Given Keenum's experience in the league, he was a knowledgeable resource for Williams and backup quarterback Tyson Bagent to utilize throughout the year.
That's the role of the third quarterback on the depth chart.
Keenum talked about the 2025 season with his former teammate Mitch Morse, who played center while the two were on the Buffalo Bills, on his podcast, "In Good Company with Mitch Morse."
In their 54-minute discussion, Morse asked Keenum if there was a moment or play when he knew Williams as going to be a problem for the NFL.
"I would say it was probably not a moment that most people saw, but it was pretty early in the year," Keenum said. "I don't even know what games it was, but it was Week 3 or 4, and he just kind of settled in and started playing quarterback. Like it took a while. He can make the big plays, you know he can make the splash stuff, he can make guys miss, turnaround, throw it off his back foot and win us a football game, but taking the normal, everyday quarterback like bop, bop, check down or good eyes, good feet, good ball. Like just normal stuff, and I'm like, 'There it is. Just keep doing that, and then when we need you to be Superman, go be Superman, you know.'"
Williams had one of his best games of the season in Week 3 against the Dallas Cowboys. The second-year quarterback completed a season-high 67.9% of his passes and threw for 298 yards and four touchdowns in the 31-14 win.
Keenum then mentioned he watched Bills quarterback Josh Allen find that balance in his game. The Bears' veteran quarterback also acknowledged that it's tough to just throw a ball away or take the check down when athletic quarterbacks like Williams and Allen can make a big play at any given moment.
"I was just really proud of him and how he progressed throughout the year," Keenum said. "I don't know if it was any one moment, it just kind of like, at some point early in the season, he started playing NFL quarterback, and I was like, 'Here we go. This guy is going to be special.'"
Williams is going into his third year in the league and second with Johnson as his head coach and play caller. Keenum signed a two-year contract extension in April, and will help Williams in whatever ways he can and let the young quarterback continue to carve out his legacy with the Bears.