Bears coach punishes media with symbolic Keenum snap

The Chicago Bears entered their Week 4 matchup with the New York Jets facing a critical choice at quarterback. Caleb Williams, their starting signal-caller, remained sidelined by a hamstring injury, leaving coach Ben Johnson with two options: Case Keenum or Tyson Bagent. Bagent had held the No. 2 spot on the depth chart but left Week 2’s game with a concussion after replacing Williams.

That opened the door for Keenum to start Week 3 against the Philadelphia Eagles, which turned into a magical night for the 38-year-old in a brilliant performance to lead the Bears to an unlikely win. The decision came after weeks of speculation, with Johnson initially keeping his plans private despite late-week reports suggesting Bagent would begin the game.

Bagent’s surprise start backfires as Bears dominate

That claim frustrated the coach. When the Bears took the field for the opening drive, Keenum took the first snap—a handoff for minimal yardage—before Bagent assumed the role for the remainder of the contest. The Bears overwhelmed the Jets 23-12, with Bagent securing the win. Johnson’s move was so deliberate that it became a talking point in the press conference, where he dismissed questions about the unusual approach as mere “media noise.” The Bears’ dominance wasn’t just in the final score; it was in their efficiency, with 34 first downs compared to the Jets’ total of 32 plays, a statistic that showed their offensive firepower.

Johnson rejected questions about the unusual move, describing it as a “symbolic first pitch.” His actual reason, he explained, was to counter media speculation that Bagent would start. “I got all these memos saying Tyson was starting before I ever made an announcement,” Johnson said. Watch Johnson’s press conference clip here: [Media: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/2106963125203300843] The Bears’ offensive output wasn’t just about wins; it was about volume, with Chicago running 57 more plays than the Jets, the second-largest margin in league history, while the Jets’ 32 total plays ranked as the fourth-lowest in NFL history.

Keenum’s missed milestone shifts focus to teamwork

The decision altered a potential statistical milestone. Had Keenum remained in the game, the Bears would have become the third franchise since 1950 to feature three different quarterbacks winning in the first four weeks. That record now remains intact. Johnson, who has publicly downplayed wins as a quarterback metric, framed the outcome as a team achievement. The Bears controlled the game with 576 total yards against the Jets’ 236, while their 42:45 to 17:15 time-of-possession split stifled the opposition. The Jets managed just 32 plays, the fourth-lowest total in NFL history, and the Bears didn’t punt once, a rarity in modern NFL games.

The team’s recent success marks a sharp contrast to their struggles under previous coaches, including Marc Trestman and John Fox. If Williams returns and resumes his form as a potential top-10 quarterback league-wide, the Bears will be right there with the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks in the NFC. The Bears’ current trajectory suggests they remain far from their peak, positioning them as a potential Super Bowl threat. Johnson’s ability to optimize his roster, even through unconventional choices, has become a hallmark of his tenure, and the Bears’ Week 4 victory over the Jets, though decisive, demonstrated how rapidly they have transformed into a competitive unit.