The Glory of the Backup: The Inspiring Stories of Case Keenum and Nick Foles

Last updated on: January 24, 2018 at 4:31 pm by Paul Asay

The Glory of the Backup: The Inspiring Stories of Case Keenum and Nick Foles 2018-01-24T16:31:54-06:00 Paul Asay

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By the start of the 2017 season, both quarterbacks were firmly in backup roles. Case Keenum had found his way to the Vikings as a backup to Sam Bradford, who in turn had been an emergency replacement the year before for promising Teddy Bridgewater. Meanwhile, Foles had returned to the Eagles to sit on the bench behind Carson Wentz. Neither was expected to have much impact on the season. And if they did … well, that would be a sign that it was a lost season indeed.

But when Bradford went down in Minnesota in the second game of the season, Keenum stepped up and had, simply, the best year of his career. As a starter he went 11-3 as a starter and threw 22 touchdowns, with just seven interceptions.

Wentz was having a possible MVP season in Philadelphia when he suffered an ACL injury in week 14. The next week, Foles threw four touchdowns against the Giants. And then last week, Foles led the Eagles to a win over the Atlanta Falcons—the Eagles’ first playoff victory in nine seasons.

Both leaned on God in the tough times and deflect the praise to Him now.

It’s interesting to me how many NFL quarterbacks are outspoken Christians: Brees, Wentz, Russell Wilson, Derek Carr, etc. Often, their on-field success has drawn people’s attention to their faith. And that, of course, is great.

But for me, the story of Keenum and Foles is especially interesting and, in its own way, especially relevant to why Christianity draws me.

“In this life you will have trouble,” Jesus says, and so it is. God doesn’t promise us a perfect life. But He does promise us that He’ll be with us with every step of that life, come what may, if we want Him to be. And when we lean on Him, He’ll bless us—though not necessarily in the way we’d ask for.

I’m always struck how, in the Bible, those seemingly most beloved by God—and those chosen by Him for huge, impressive jobs—were not huge, impressive people. David was the youngest son of a family of shepherds. Peter and lots of the disciples were fishermen. If there was a spiritual draft, many of our religious heroes would’ve been afterthoughts, if we thought of them at all. But God did remarkable things with their lives. Each one of them changed the world.

Neither Keenum nor Foles will change the world on Sunday. They’ll play a game. One will win, one will lose. And as for what their NFL future holds, who knows? They could become hall-of-fame quarterbacks or fade into obscurity.

But their faith will sustain them, whatever may come. And maybe, by their examples, they will change the world a little—one fan at a time.

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