'Thank God we have Case Keenum': Browns coaches express confidence in backup quarterback after Baker Mayfield tests positive

Cleveland Browns special teams coordinator Mike Priefer witnessed Case Keenum’s Minnesota magic in 2017.

With the Vikings from 2011-18, Priefer saw Keenum post an 11-3 record as a starter when they finished 13-3 and reached the NFC Championship, falling to the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.

That’s why Priefer and other members of the Browns coaching staff have such confidence in Keenum, likely to start Saturday’s must-win game against the Las Vegas Raiders at FirstEnergy Stadium after quarterback Baker Mayfield tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday.

“Thank God we have Case Keenum, I’ll be honest with you,” Priefer said. “If you had a really young quarterback and an inexperienced quarterback it might be tougher. But Case is going to run the game plan exactly how it should be run, and I know the whole team has confidence in him.”

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski also tested positive Wednesday despite having received a booster shot. As of Wednesday, the Browns had 18 players, including nine starters, on the reserve/COVID-19 list, with six players, Stefanski, and acting running backs coach Ryan Cordell the latest additions. If Stefanski does not produce two negative tests within 24 hours by Saturday, Priefer will serve as acting head coach, and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt will call the plays against the Raiders.

With his sixth team since he entered the league in 2013, Keenum called this situation "pretty unique."

"I would say nothing really surprises me about the NFL these days, though it just kind of adds one more thing to the portfolio, if you will, of just strange occurrences and different situations that come up," Keenum said in a conference call.

"That’s why you prepare every day to be ready to go when your number’s called, and looks like that number’s getting called."

Asked how players took the stunning news, with 14 players going on the reserve/COVID-19 list in two days, Keenum said, "I think it really hit everybody in stride, maybe not the guys who got put on the list. But for guys now getting an opportunity, it’s all eyes forward. It may be a lot more mental work as we do things more virtually and everybody has to be a pro and get ready to do their job on their own.

"We’re looking nowhere but forward. We have no time or energy to look behind us."

Earning a $6 million base salary this season, Keenum is 28-35 as a starter in his career, 1-0 in 2021. When Mayfield suffered a second injury to his left, non-throwing shoulder on Oct. 17, Keenum directed a 17-14 victory over the Denver Broncos on Oct. 21. On “Thursday Night Football,” Keenum completed 21 of 33 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown for a 90.3 rating.

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“I have the utmost confidence in Case. He’s really a true pro,” Van Pelt said. “We’re very lucky to have him. He’s a guy that can come in and win one game or a bunch of games for you, he’s shown that in the past. Regardless of who he’s out there with, know that the moment won’t be too big for him. He's been there before. He’ll be calm, collected, be a great leader for us if he does play on Saturday.”

Keenum said this situation — with the possibility that the Browns may have only one full-squad practice, if that — is not much different than when he started against the Broncos with only three days in between games.