Former Houston Quarterback Sidelined with Injury in NFL Preseason

The Chicago Bears quarterback room has taken a hit.

Jul 24, 2025; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Case Keenum (11) passes the ball during training camp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Last week, it was reported that former Houston Cougars quarterback Case Keenum was dealing with a leg injury that sidelined him during the Bears’ preseason matchup with the Bills.

The veteran quarterback, who left Thursday’s practice early, is considered day-to-day as he works through the setback.

Keenum impressed in Chicago's first preseason game by going 8 for 10 with 2 touchdowns.

.@casekeenum drops it in the bucket to @dae2walker 🪣

📺: FOX32
pic.twitter.com/pEYya8mriY

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 10, 2025

While Caleb Williams has likely secured the starting job, there are questions as to what the depth chart will look like when the regular season gets underway. Aside from Keenum, Tyson Bagent and Austin Reed have also been getting reps in the preseason. This past weekend in the 38-0 win against the Bills, Bagent completed 13 of 22 with 196 yds and a touchdown. Reed completed 6 of 7 passes for 66 yds.

For the Bears organization, and many other teams in the NFL, the preseason is now being used to find players that set themselves apart. For quarterbacks, it's a chance to make a massive impression on a coaching staff that's still learning how they want to operate.

Keenum's experience in the NFL could prove to be something that makes him standout to that coaching staff when choosing a backup quarterback.

From Cougar Greatness to NFL Journeyman

Jan 2, 2012; Dallas, TX, USA; Houston Cougars quarterback Case Keenum (7) celebrates the victory over the Penn State Nittany Lions in the 2012 Ticket City Bowl at Cotton Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Before eventually solidifying himself as one of the most trusted backups in the league, the Abilene, Texas native was one of the most impressive passers in the country with the University of Houston. During his time as a Cougar, Keenum not only set NCAA records, but made people reevaluate what the college quarterback was capable of.

Keenum still holds the record for career passing yards (19,217) and completions (1,546), while Dillon Gabriel recently tied Keenum's career passing touchdown record of 155.

In his final game as a Cougar, Keenum played in the TicketCity Bowl against #22 Penn State. In the 30-14 win against the Nittany Lions, the future NFL quarterback put on a spectacle completing 45 of 69 passes for over 530 yds which included 3 passing touchdowns.

After signing with the Houston Texans as a free agent in 2012, Keenum has played for a plethora of different teams including the Rams, Vikings, Broncos, Commanders, Browns, and Bills. Arguably his best season as a starter came in 2017 with the Vikings where he led them to a 13-3 record and an appearance in the NFC Championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

For the Bears organization, having a veteran like Keenum around a young star like Williams can prove to be beneficial for the entire team when the NFL season begins to get tough.