Keenum stars for Bears on first start since 2023

Figure caption,

The Bears take apart the Eagles in 20-point win

ByElizabeth Botcherby
BBC Sport journalist
  • Published

Veteran quarterback Case Keenum starred on his first start for almost three years as the Chicago Bears handed the Philadelphia Eagles their first defeat of the season.

Starting his first NFL game since December 2023, the 38-year-old threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for another as the Bears won 27-7 at Soldier Field in Chicago.

It is the first time he has thrown multiple touchdowns in a game since October 2019, while he is also the oldest player to score a rushing touchdown for the Bears.

Third-choice quarterback Keenum, an NFL journeyman playing at his eighth franchise, was called into action because Caleb Williams suffered a hamstring injury last week and his back-up Tyson Bagent then suffered a concussion.

Wide receiver Kalif Raymond, who scored a touchdown, said: "He was like, 'I may not be a cowboy, but this is definitely not my first rodeo'. [There's] a lot of confidence in him; a lot of confidence in himself.

"He practises, preps every week, but particularly this week. We didn't expect anything different from him."

Keenum's first drive resulted in a touchdown for Luther Burden III, and Cairo Santos added a 29-yard field goal before Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts rushed for a touchdown to cut the Bears' half-time lead to 10-7.

Santos added a second field goal early in the third quarter before the Bears scored two touchdowns among 17 unanswered points.

The Bears defence limited the Eagles to 248 total yards and claimed two interceptions - one from Jalen Hurts and another from his back-up Andy Dalton, who came in for four snaps while Hurts was checked for a potential concussion in the second quarter.

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