Ben Johnson's decision to start Case Keenum was a reaction to the media

Published October 4, 2026 09:58 PM Bears coach Ben Johnson can’t help himself. And I love it.After not naming a starting quarterback for Week 4 against the Jets — and given that numerous reports indicated Tyson Bagent would start — Johnson decided to have both Bagent and Case Keenum on the field for the first play from scrimmage.It meant that Keenum was technically a starter, even though it was a Bagent game.“Well, I got all these memos saying that Tyson was starting before I had ever made an announcement, so I now want to get Case out there the first time,” Johnson told reporters after the 23-12 win. “It was like a ceremonial first pitch out there, hand off the torch.”Johnson was reminded that the move gave Keenum the win. “Good for him,” Johnson said. “I think the team gets credited for the win.”He’s right. It is all about the team. The decision to play games with the starting lineup as a reaction to the fact that he failed to keep the starter’s identity a secret has nothing to do with the team’s objectives.Again, I like the cheekiness. It’s part of who he is. As long as it never gets in the way of winning a game, it’s fine.As to whether Keenum got the win, it’s possible that Bagent did, too. Even though Bagent lined up as a receiver, the official game book shows two starting quarterbacks for the Bears.