Case Keenum

High school career

Keenum played football for Wylie High School in Abilene, Texas. During his high school career, he passed for 6,783 yards and 48 touchdowns and rushed for 41 touchdowns and 2,000 yards. Logging 42 starts at quarterback, Keenum posted a career record of 31–11. In 2004, Keenum led Wylie in the game-winning drive for a 17–14 victory over Cuero High School of Cuero, Texas in the Texas Class 3A Division I championship game. This is Wylie's only state championship to date as of the end of the 2015 season. In addition to being recruited by Houston, Keenum was recruited by Baylor, North Texas, and UTEP, although Houston was the only university to offer a scholarship. Keenum also earned varsity letters in basketball and track during his high school career.

2006 season

Keenum began his college career at the University of Houston during the 2006 season. During his freshman season, decorated senior Kevin Kolb held the starting quarterback position for the Cougars, leading the coaching staff to redshirt Keenum for the season. The 2006 Cougars won the Conference USA championship, and Kolb was drafted by the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles.

2007 season

In fall camp before the 2007 season, the Cougars held a de facto quarterback competition to fill the starting spot vacated by the departure of four-year starter Kevin Kolb. The competition swung between Keenum and sophomore Blake Joseph throughout two-a-days and during much of the season, with each player displaying a different set of strengths and weaknesses. Keenum made his first collegiate appearance on September 1, 2007 when the Cougars opened the season at the Oregon Ducks. He threw for 179 yards and a touchdown on 14-of-27 passing and added 47 rushing yards on nine carries against the Ducks. Against C-USA rival Tulane Green Wave in the second game, Keenum threw for 185 yards and a touchdown on 13-of-21 passing, leading Houston to a 34–10 win. In the third game of the year against the Colorado State Rams, Keenum came on in relief of starter Blake Joseph and accounted for four touchdowns. For this performance, Keenum was recognized as CollegeSportsReport.com's Division I FBS National Performer of the Week. Keenum played at quarterback in all thirteen games of the season, starting in seven. Late in the season, the UH coaching staff finally tabbed Keenum to be the regular starting quarterback over Blake Joseph. Keenum's outstanding pocket presence and efficient passing won out in the end over Joseph's stronger arm and running ability.

2008 season

During the 2008 season, Keenum became the second player in school history to complete over 5,000 passing yards in one season. He also led the nation in total offense, and was the national runner-up in passing yards, behind Texas Tech's Graham Harrell. The Houston Cougars would show many signs of improvement as a whole, as they won their first bowl game since 1980 with a win over Air Force, and defeated two nationally ranked opponents. Following the season, Keenum would win the 2008 Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year award.

2009 season

Keenum led the Houston Cougars to a 10–4 record in 2009. Keenum finished the 2009 season with 48 total touchdowns and over 5,800 total offensive yards. His play helped Houston upset then #5-ranked Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, and later Mississippi State. Houston played East Carolina on the road in the Conference USA Championship, but lost the game in the final minute. Houston faced Air Force in a rematch of the previous year's Armed Forces Bowl. However, this time, Air Force emerged victorious. In cold, windy conditions, Keenum threw 6 interceptions in the game, and was held to only one touchdown.

2010 season

Keenum was in a position to challenge more than one major NCAA division one passing record at the start of the 2010 season, including career passing yards and touchdowns. However, after throwing for a total of 636 passing yards and three touchdowns in three games, Keenum tore his ACL during the Cougars' third game of the season against UCLA. The injury ended Keenum's season, and Houston would finish 5–7. Keenum earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Houston Bauer College of Business in December 2010.

2011 season

On January 14, 2011, the NCAA granted Keenum a sixth year of eligibility. Prior to the 2011 season, he was named the 2011 Conference USA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year for the third year in a row. On October 27, 2011, Keenum set the all-time NCAA Division I passing touchdowns record by throwing for 9 touchdowns against Rice. Keenum also enrolled in the University of Houston College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences studying for a master's degree in physical administration with a concentration on sports administration. On November 19, 2011, Keenum set the record for career completions in a 37–7 win over SMU. The Cougars had a record of 12–0 coming into the Conference USA Championship. However, the Cougars were defeated by Southern Miss by a score of 49–28. Keenum completed 41 of 67 pass attempts for 373 yards through the air, two touchdown passes, and two interceptions. After the loss, Houston played Penn State in the TicketCity Bowl. They won by a score of 30–14. Keenum passed for 532 yards, and threw three touchdown passes.

College awards

NCAA records

As of the end of the 2016 college football season, Keenum holds the following NCAA individual records:

Overview

Despite his many awards and success in college, Keenum was projected as a late draft pick, with the major factors for his low stock being undersized at 6 feet, a possibility to only be able to play in a spread offense, and was granted a medical redshirt once in his college career. After Keenum went undrafted, he signed with the Houston Texans.

Houston Texans

After being signed as an undrafted free agent, Keenum was placed on the Texans practice squad, where he spent the entire 2012 regular season.

In 2013, Keenum was placed on the Texans' 53-man roster as a 3rd string quarterback behind starter Matt Schaub and 2nd string quarterback T. J. Yates. On October 17, head coach Gary Kubiak announced that Keenum would be the starting quarterback over backup Yates in Week 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday October 20, after starting quarterback Schaub was unable to play due to an injury. In his pro debut on October 20, Keenum threw his first career touchdown pass, a 29-yarder to DeAndre Hopkins. In the end, Keenum completed 15 of 25 passes for 271 yards and a touchdown, along with a 110.6 passer rating, the highest by a Texan quarterback in the season. However, Houston lost, 17–16. On November 3, Keenum threw three passing touchdowns against the Indianapolis Colts, all three to Andre Johnson in the first half. Keenum also had 350 passing yards and 26 rushing yards, despite the Texans losing 27–24. Keenum was 0–8 as a starter for the Texans in 2013.

St. Louis Rams

On August 31, 2014, Keenum was waived by the Texans to clear a roster space for recently acquired quarterback Ryan Mallett. He was claimed off waivers the next day by the St. Louis Rams. He was waived by the St. Louis Rams on October 28, 2014, in order to make room on the roster for newly acquired safety Mark Barron. He re-signed to the team's practice squad on October 30.

Second stint with Texans

On December 15, 2014, Keenum was signed off the Rams practice squad back to the Houston Texans. He filled a roster spot after starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick broke his left leg in a game against the Indianapolis Colts on December 14, 2014, and on December 21, 2014, he won his first NFL game beating the Baltimore Ravens by a score of 25–13. On December 28, 2014, he won a second consecutive game with the Texans against the Jacksonville Jaguars 23–17.

St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams (second stint)

On March 11, 2015, Keenum was acquired from the Texans for a 7th-round pick in 2016. It was announced by head coach Jeff Fisher that Keenum would be the backup quarterback to recently acquired Nick Foles. On November 16, the Rams named Keenum the starting quarterback after announcing they had benched Foles.

Near the end of the Rams' week-11 game against the Baltimore Ravens, Keenum suffered a concussion that left him visibly wobbly, but he was not removed from the game for evaluation; this led to an investigation by the NFL and the NFL Players Association.

Keenum recovered from the concussion and led the Rams to consecutive victories against the Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Seattle Seahawks. He recorded a Rams record near-"perfect game" against the Buccaneers, achieving a 158.0 passer rating by going 14 for 17 for 234 yards and two touchdowns in the last home game in the history of the St. Louis Rams. Keenum finished the 2015 season (six games played, five as the starter) with 828 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception, with a 60.8% completion percentage.

In January 12, 2016, the Rams officially moved back to Los Angeles, California. It was announced via Fisher and GM Les Snead that Keenum would be the starting quarterback heading into training camp. On April 18, 2016, Keenum signed a 1-year first round restricted free-agent tender with the Los Angeles Rams. On August 6, 2016, Keenum was named as the starter in the preseason opener against the Dallas Cowboys. After the preseason, Keenum began the regular season as the starting quarterback. After a 28-0 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the opener, he led the team to 3 straight wins over the Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Arizona Cardinals.

In a week 6 loss at Detroit, Keenum set a team record with 19 consecutive completions. The following week against the Giants at Twickenham Stadium, Keenum was intercepted four times as the Giants won 17-10. After the game, Rams head coach Jeff Fisher announced his decision to keep Keenum as starter. However, on November 15, 2016, Keenum was benched for Jared Goff, who the Rams had taken with the first overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Minnesota Vikings

On March 31, 2017, Keenum signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings. Due to an injury to Sam Bradford, Keenum started the Week 2 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, completing 20 of 37 passes for 167 yards in a 26–9 loss.

Statistics

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Personal life

Born in Brownwood, Texas, Case Keenum spent his childhood in Abilene, Texas, and is the son of Steve Keenum who served as an offensive lineman and later as head football coach and athletic director at McMurry. The elder Keenum, known for an aggressive passing offensive strategy, was also head coach at Sul Ross State, offensive coordinator at Tarleton State, and offensive line coach at Hardin-Simmons.

Keenum, a Christian, married Kimberly Caddell in June 2011. Kimberly is also a native of Abilene, Texas.