CHICAGO -- Six days after Case Keenum quarterbacked the Bears to a dominant victory over the Eagles, Tyson Bagent got his opportunity to lead Chicago's offense in a 23-12 win over the Jets.
But on the first play of Sunday's game, both Bagent and Keenum trotted onto the field. Keenum lined up in the shotgun and pitched the ball to running back D'Andre Swift for a 2-yard gain while Bagent was flanked out wide.
"Well, I got all these memos saying that Tyson was starting before I ever made an announcement, so I wanted to get Case out there," said coach Ben Johnson, who declined to publicly name a starter ahead of the game with Caleb Williams still out with a hamstring injury. "It was like his ceremonial first pitch out there. Handing off the torch."
Keenum quickly exited the field after that play while Bagent carried out a 14-play, 93-yard drive that resulted in a turnover on downs at the Jets' 1-yard line.
The Bears' official game notes list Bagent and Keenum as having both started at quarterback, though Elias Sports Bureau officially credits Keenum with the win.
"Good for him," Johnson said. "I think the team gets credited for the win."
With Bagent under center, the Bears dominated the Jets in time of possession (42:45 to 17:15) and generated more first downs (34) than the Jets had plays (32), the second game in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) where that's occurred. The Bears ran 89 plays, resulting in a plus-57 play differential that was the fourth largest by any team since the 1970 merger (the Browns' first game returning to the NFL in 1999 was the most recent).
Bagent went 25 of 34 for 268 yards and an interception in his first regular-season start in 1,059 days.
"Tyson's earned the right to be our No. 2 quarterback," Johnson said. "I have a lot of confidence in him, thought he played really well today. Efficient with the football. Obviously, he had the one pick, left the ball a little bit behind where he'd like to go with it, but other than that, I thought he had a great job with the operation."
Bagent said he was informed by Keenum on Wednesday that he would start. Two days earlier, it was Keenum who started against the Eagles since Bagent didn't clear the NFL's concussion protocol until the day before.
"My body work person was at my house," he said. "And Case kind of hit me like, 'Hey man, what time are you getting in here today?' I said, 'I'm going to get in there at around 11, would you like me to get there sooner?' He said, 'Yes, I would like you to get there sooner.'
"... His delivery, he was just telling me that he really hopes and prays that I'm able to have a night kind of like he did on Monday and that I will and that week is going to be this week because you're starting. So, he kind of hit me with that at the end and I just gave him a big hug. I told him how much he meant to me, and then just business is business going forward."
As Bagent ran back to the locker room after Sunday's game, John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" played at Soldier Field, an ode to the QB's West Virginia roots.
The former Division II quarterback out of Shepherd University became the first undrafted Bears player to throw for more than 250 pass yards in a game since Chase Daniel in Week 13 of the 2018 season.
"It was unbelievable," Bagent said. "I'm just from a small town in West Virginia. Shout out to Martinsburg, West Virginia. Don't ask me questions like this. I already told you I will start crying, so don't do this again. But it's extremely humbling, it's an amazing experience. I really can't thank enough people. I'm only here because of those that were around me growing up, and those who are around me today. So, it meant the world to be able to hear a song like that and it's really a full circle moment. I grew up a huge West Virginia fan, really supported (Jets quarterback) Geno Smith throughout his years, and thought he did an outstanding job during his time at West Virginia. So just really a cool, full-circle moment, and a nice birthday present for my dad. Happy 50th birthday to the beast. So, it's just a great weekend."