This week, Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson refused to reveal who will be the team’s starting quarterback against the New York Jets after Caleb Williams was ruled out with a hamstring injury.
Several reports, though, suggest Tyson Bagent will be Chicago’s signal caller today. The news seems to have been first reported by The Athletic’s Dan Wiederer.
It’s a somewhat surprising decision by the Bears after Case Keenum led the team to a dominant 27-7 win over the Philadelphia Eagles last week. He completed over 70% of his passes for 247 yards, two passing touchdowns (three total TDs), and zero interceptions.
Bagent, who will start today, did not play because he was still recovering from a concussion and couldn’t get reps throughout the week. While it’s questionable to turn away from Keenum after such a strong showing, Bagent signed a two-year, $10 million contract extension with the team this offseason. That shows the organization clearly believes he’s a high-end QB2.
Since entering the league in 2023, Bagent has started just four games, all in his rookie season, while appearing in 13 total. Owning a 2-2 record in his starts, the 26-year-old has completed 65.8% of his passes for 971 yards, three touchdowns, and six interceptions.
After a strong summer, optimism surrounds Bagent. Today will be his first NFL start since 2023, and just the fifth of his career. It will come against a Jets defense that looked solid in its first two games against the Titans and Packers but faltered against the Lions’ elite offense last week.
Now, the former undrafted rookie will have a chance to lead the Bears to their second straight win, and their third of the year. Meanwhile, a win in Gang Green’s position seems crucial.
