Talk about an unexpected move. Tyson Bagent and Case Keenum both hit the field as starters for the Chicago Bears on Sunday against the Jets, and the way they did it was pure gamesmanship. Head coach Ben Johnson pulled a fast one on the league right from the opening drive.
Ben Johnson’s Cheeky Opening Drive
On the Bears’ first possession, we saw Keenum under center, but here’s the kicker: Bagent was split wide, a receiver ready to go. Keenum executed a handoff, then promptly exited the game. It was a classic “why not both?” move from Johnson, and it was pretty clever. Technically, this little stunt keeps the Bears from joining the 1997 Jaguars as a team that started three different quarterbacks in just four games. That’s a niche record to avoid, but hey, it’s still Bagent who’s the guy under center.
The Bagent Era (For Now)
Bagent is indeed the man calling the shots, with starter Caleb Williams missing his second straight game due to a hamstring injury. Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer had the scoop earlier in the week, reporting that Johnson told the team on Wednesday that Bagent would be the starter. Johnson even asked them to keep that info locked down internally. That secrecy held up until Friday morning, when word got out that Bagent had been taking all the first-team reps on both Wednesday and Thursday. So much for keeping it in-house, right? It just shows you how hard it is to keep a lid on anything in this league.
This whole situation is a wild card. With Williams out and Bagent now officially running the show, it’s all about how he handles the pressure. The Bears have to navigate this without their expected starter, and every snap Bagent takes is going to be under a microscope.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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