Case Keenum biography covering his age, wife Kimberly, children, record-setting college career, NFL teams, Minneapolis Miracle season, Chicago Bears role, salary and net worth.
The Case Keenum biography is one of professional football’s most unusual quarterback stories. Born Casey Austin Keenum, he went undrafted despite finishing his University of Houston career with historic passing numbers, then spent more than a decade moving between NFL teams as both a starter and trusted backup.
Keenum is most remembered for leading the Minnesota Vikings to the 2017 NFC Championship Game and throwing the pass that produced the famous “Minneapolis Miracle.” His career has continued much longer than many expected. At 38, he remains an active NFL quarterback with the Chicago Bears and returned to the spotlight on September 28, 2026, by leading Chicago to a 27-7 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Case Keenum Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Casey Austin Keenum |
| Known As | Case Keenum |
| Date of Birth | February 17, 1988 |
| Age | 38 years old as of 2026 |
| Birthplace | Brownwood, Texas, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Professional football quarterback |
| Current Team | Chicago Bears |
| Jersey Number | 11 |
| College | University of Houston |
| NFL Entry | Undrafted free agent, 2012 |
| Wife | Kimberly Keenum |
| Children | Kyler and Cadence |
| Known For | 2017 Vikings season and the Minneapolis Miracle |
Early Life and High School Football
Case Keenum was born on February 17, 1988, in Brownwood, Texas. He is the son of Steve and Susan Keenum and grew up in a family closely connected to football.
He attended Wylie High School in Abilene, Texas, where he developed into a productive dual-threat quarterback. Keenum passed for 6,783 yards and 48 touchdowns during his high school career while also rushing for about 2,000 yards and 41 touchdowns.
He finished with a 31-11 record in 42 starts and also participated in basketball and track.
Despite those numbers, Keenum was not regarded as one of the country’s elite quarterback recruits. Houston became the school where he would turn relatively modest recruiting attention into one of the most statistically accomplished college careers ever produced by a quarterback.
Record-Breaking Career at the University of Houston
Keenum joined the University of Houston football programme in 2006 and redshirted his first season.
He eventually became the centre of Houston’s high-powered passing offence. His accuracy, quick decision-making and ability to distribute the ball made him one of college football’s most productive quarterbacks.
Keenum’s college career was interrupted in 2010 when he suffered a serious knee injury. He later received an additional year of eligibility and returned for the 2011 season.
The comeback allowed him to complete a remarkable statistical career.
Across 57 games for Houston, Keenum completed 69.4 percent of his passes for 19,217 yards and 155 touchdowns. He finished college as the NCAA’s all-time leader in career passing yards and passing touchdowns.
His passing-yard record remains one of the defining achievements of his college career. His 155 touchdown passes later became tied at the top of the record book.
Keenum also won the Sammy Baugh Trophy, awarded to a top college passer, in 2009 and again in 2011.
Away from football, he completed a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology-sports administration with a minor in business administration in 2010.
Going Undrafted and Joining the Houston Texans
Despite his extraordinary college production, Keenum was not selected in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Questions about his size, arm strength and transition from Houston’s offensive system contributed to doubts about how his game would translate to the NFL.
The Houston Texans signed him as an undrafted free agent.
Keenum spent his first professional season developing before receiving his opportunity to start in 2013. His first NFL start came against the Kansas City Chiefs, when he completed 15 of 25 passes for 271 yards and a touchdown.
Houston lost the game 17-16, but Keenum had demonstrated that he could compete against an NFL defence.
The following years brought repeated roster changes. He was waived by Houston in 2014, briefly joined the St. Louis Rams, returned to the Texans and was later traded back to the Rams.
That movement became a recurring feature of his career.
Rams Years and the Move to Minnesota
Keenum played for the Rams during the 2015 and 2016 seasons, including the franchise’s move from St. Louis to Los Angeles.
He started five games in 2015 and nine in 2016. Although he showed that he could handle an NFL starting role, the Rams were developing first-overall draft pick Jared Goff as their long-term quarterback.
Keenum became a free agent and signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings in 2017.
The move initially looked like another backup opportunity.
Instead, it produced the season that permanently changed how football fans remember him.
Breakout 2017 Season With the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota entered the 2017 season with Sam Bradford as its starting quarterback. When Bradford struggled with a knee injury, Keenum took over.
He responded with the best NFL season of his career.
Keenum started 14 games and helped Minnesota finish the regular season 13-3. He completed 67.6 percent of his passes for 3,547 yards, 22 touchdowns and only seven interceptions.
His 98.3 passer rating was also a career best for a season in which he attempted a substantial number of passes.
Keenum developed a productive connection with receivers Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs while playing behind one of the NFL’s strongest defences.
The Vikings won the NFC North and entered the postseason as serious Super Bowl contenders.
Then came one of the most famous plays in NFL playoff history.
Case Keenum and the Minneapolis Miracle
On January 14, 2018, Minnesota faced the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Divisional Round.
The Vikings trailed 24-23 with only seconds remaining and had no timeouts.
With 10 seconds left, Keenum took the snap and threw toward Stefon Diggs near the sideline. Saints safety Marcus Williams missed the tackle, allowing Diggs to stay on his feet and race into the end zone.
The 61-yard touchdown gave Minnesota a 29-24 victory as time expired.
The play became known as the Minneapolis Miracle.
It was the first walk-off touchdown in regulation in NFL postseason history and remains the defining highlight of Keenum’s playing career.
Minnesota’s Super Bowl hopes ended the following week when the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Vikings 38-7 in the NFC Championship Game.
Even so, Keenum’s 2017 season had transformed him from a journeyman backup into one of the most sought-after quarterbacks on the free-agent market.
Denver Broncos, Washington and Cleveland
Keenum signed with the Denver Broncos in 2018.
He started all 16 games, passing for a career-high 3,890 yards with 18 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Denver finished 6-10, and Keenum was traded to Washington after one season.
He made eight starts for Washington in 2019 and threw for 1,707 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions.
In 2020, Keenum joined the Cleveland Browns. He spent two seasons there primarily backing up Baker Mayfield, although he started games when needed.
His ability to enter different offensive systems and provide experienced quarterback depth became increasingly valuable as his career progressed.
Buffalo Bills and Return to Houston
The Browns traded Keenum to the Buffalo Bills in 2022.
He served primarily as a backup to Josh Allen and saw only limited regular-season action.
In 2023, Keenum returned to the Houston Texans, the franchise where his NFL career began.
He started two games that season, completing 34 of 53 passes for 291 yards and one touchdown. Houston went on to reach the playoffs with rookie C.J. Stroud established as its long-term starter.
Keenum spent the 2024 season on injured reserve.
His career could easily have ended at that point, but another opportunity arrived in Chicago.
Chicago Bears and His 2026 Comeback Game
The Chicago Bears signed Keenum in April 2025.
He spent most of that season as the emergency third quarterback while starter Caleb Williams helped Chicago win the NFC North and reach the divisional round.
The Bears retained Keenum in March 2026 on a two-year contract.
He entered the season behind Williams and Tyson Bagent on the depth chart. However, injuries created another unexpected opportunity.
Williams suffered a hamstring injury, while Bagent had only recently cleared concussion protocol. Chicago therefore started Keenum against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football on September 28, 2026.
It was his first regular-season appearance since 2023.
At 38 years old, Keenum completed 24 of 34 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. He also scored a rushing touchdown as Chicago defeated Philadelphia 27-7.
His passer rating was 110.8.
The performance pushed his career totals to 15,422 passing yards and 81 touchdown passes through September 29, 2026.
It was another example of the durability that has defined a career that began as an undrafted free agent 14 years earlier.
Case Keenum Wife and Children
Case Keenum is married to Kimberly Keenum, formerly Kimberly Caddell.
The couple knew each other before his professional football career and married in June 2011.
Kimberly has accompanied Keenum through a career that has required repeated moves between NFL cities. Keenum has publicly credited her support as an important reason he has been able to continue playing for so long.
They have two children, a son named Kyler and a daughter named Cadence.
His family joined him in Chicago when he signed with the Bears, and Cadence appeared with him after his memorable victory over Philadelphia in September 2026.
Faith and Playing for More
Christian faith has been an important and publicly discussed part of Keenum’s life.
He has spoken openly about his beliefs throughout his college and professional careers.
In 2018, he published Playing for More: Trust Beyond What You Can See, a book discussing football, faith, setbacks and the lessons he learned while moving through different stages of his career.
For Keenum, his success in football has often been presented as only one part of a broader view of family, faith and purpose.
Case Keenum Net Worth and Career Earnings
Case Keenum’s exact net worth has not been reliably disclosed.
Online estimates should therefore be treated cautiously because his complete assets, investments, expenses and liabilities are private.
His NFL earnings are easier to document.
Keenum has earned tens of millions of dollars during his long career. His biggest contract came after his successful Vikings season when Denver signed him to a two-year, $36 million agreement in 2018.
He later signed contracts with Washington, Cleveland, Buffalo, Houston and Chicago.
His 2026 agreement with the Bears keeps him under contract through the 2027 season, subject to roster decisions.
Contract records place his career NFL earnings in the high tens of millions of dollars. However, gross football earnings should not be confused with personal net worth because taxes, agent fees, spending and investments substantially affect the amount an athlete ultimately retains.
The most accurate description is that Keenum has accumulated substantial wealth from a long NFL career, while his precise current net worth remains private.
Conclusion
Case Keenum’s career has lasted because he repeatedly found ways to be ready when opportunities appeared.
He left Houston as one of the most productive quarterbacks in college football history but entered the NFL without being drafted. He then moved between several teams before producing a remarkable 2017 season in Minnesota and becoming permanently associated with the Minneapolis Miracle.
The Case Keenum biography gained another memorable chapter in September 2026 when the 38-year-old returned to regular-season action and accounted for three touchdowns in a dominant Chicago Bears victory over Philadelphia.
After more than a decade of roster moves, starting opportunities, injuries and backup roles, Keenum remains an active NFL quarterback and one of the league’s most experienced veterans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Case Keenum?
Case Keenum is an American professional football quarterback for the Chicago Bears. He is best known for his record-setting college career at Houston and for leading the Minnesota Vikings to the 2017 NFC Championship Game.
How old is Case Keenum?
Case Keenum was born on February 17, 1988. He is 38 years old as of September 2026.
What is Case Keenum’s real name?
His full name is Casey Austin Keenum. He has used the shorter name Case since childhood.
Who is Case Keenum’s wife?
Case Keenum is married to Kimberly Keenum. They married in June 2011 and have two children, Kyler and Cadence.
What is the Minneapolis Miracle?
The Minneapolis Miracle was Keenum’s 61-yard touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs on the final play of Minnesota’s January 2018 playoff victory over the New Orleans Saints.
What team does Case Keenum play for in 2026?
Case Keenum plays quarterback for the Chicago Bears. He re-signed with the team in March 2026 and started Chicago’s September 28 victory over Philadelphia after Caleb Williams was injured.
What is Case Keenum’s net worth?
Case Keenum’s exact net worth is not publicly verified. He has earned tens of millions of dollars through NFL contracts, but no authoritative financial disclosure establishes his complete current personal wealth.
