Getty Case Keenum and his wife Kimberly Keenum have lived all over the country during Case's NFL career.
The life of an NFL quarterback can be difficult, but being the wife of an NFL player can be even more challenging. Case Keenum has played for the Texans, Rams and Vikings during his NFL career. This mean’s his wife, Kimberly Keenum, has already lived in four different cities during her husband’s career. Case has found the most success in Minnesota where he helped lead the Vikings to the playoffs.
Kimberly became well-known by football fans after her cameo on the HBO show Hard Knocks during Case’s time with the Rams. Fans admired her ability to memorize plays as HBO showed Kimberly helping her husband memorize the Rams playbook. Kimberly also helped start the “victory waffles” tradition that has carried over to Minnesota. Any time the team wins, the Keenums make waffles the following Monday.
The Keenums may be a long way away from their home state of Texas, but would not mind making their home in Minnesota with the way the 2017 season went.
Here’s what you need to know about the couple.
1. Kimberly Helps Case Memorize the Playbook
Kimberly became an internet sensation after Hard Knocks showed her ability to memorize an NFL playbook. Case was playing for the Rams at the time, and Kimberly was quizzing him on the different plays. She also showed she knew quite a few of the plays herself.
Case spoke with Vikings.com about how Kimberly helps him get prepared for games.
“Coming to the NFL and having to talk through a wordy play that’s 10, 15 words long, was tough,” Case noted to Vikings.com. “And I needed some help early on, so [Kimberly] would help read off plays. I was hearing it, understanding it, studying it that way. It just kind of stuck.”
2. Case Will Be a Free Agent After the 2018 Playoffs, But the Couple Wants to Stay in Minnesota
Case has been one of the most unheralded quarterbacks in the league after taking over the reigns for an injured Sam Bradford. Teddy Bridgewater was also still recovering from multiple injuries when Case was named Minnesota’s starting quarterback this season. Case is finishing up a one year, $2 million contract that makes him a free agent after the Vikings final playoff game this season.
SB Nation detailed the Keenums desire to stay in Minnesota if given the opportunity.
Both Case and Kimberly Keenum make no secret about wanting to stay in Minnesota.
“We’d love to stay,” Case says.
“We would,” Kimberly echoes.
“The first six or eight months we’ve been here, it’s been great,” Case says. “We understand how the NFL works, but we love it here. We love the city, love the people here, love the organization.”
It will be interesting to see what the Vikings decide to do. Bridgewater, who the Vikings selected with a 2014 first round draft pick, is now able to play, but Keenum retained the starting gig for the playoffs. Bradford will also be in the mix this off-season. It remains to be seen whether Minnesota will want him as the starter next season, and Case’s play will likely garner additional offers across the league.
During the 2017 regular season, Keenum completed over 67 percent of his passes for 3,547 yards, 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
3. The Couple Got Married in College While Attending Houston, But Have Been Dating Since High School
In an interview on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show, Case and Kimberly discussed how they first met. The two grew up together, but Case said it was a high school event his junior year when he finally asked her on a date. The two met for snow cones, and the couple has been together ever since. Case and Kimberly got married in 2011 while they were attending college at Houston. The quarterback proposed on the 50 yard line of the football field with candles set up all over the field.
Shortly after getting married, Case admitted to the Los Angeles Times that his wife was excited to wear a football jersey with a new last name.
“Kimberly gets to wear a jersey with the name ‘Keenum’ on the back,” Case told the Los Angeles Times. “She’s pretty excited about that.”
4. Kimberly Started a Tradition of “Victory Waffles” While Case Was Playing for the Rams, & the Couple Brought Ryan Seacrest Waffles During a Radio Interview
it was a good morning @casekeenum7
The world got introduced to “victory waffles” thanks to the Hard Knocks show in 2016 when the Rams were the featured team. Case was playing in Los Angeles at the time, and the couple happened to make waffles on a Monday after a win. The team started a win streak, and the “victory waffles” became a tradition.
“We have to do it now,” Case said on Hard Knocks. “It’s been three in a row, and you can’t break tradition now. That’s how superstitions are made.”
The couple brought waffles into the studio for an interview with Ryan Seacrest. For her part, Kimberly said the key to a good waffle is “a lot of butter”.
Vikings fans will be pleased to know the “victory waffles” carried over to Minnesota. Case referenced the famous waffles in this tweet during the 2017 season.
A lot to be thankful for today, including @killensbbq smoked turkey for thxgiving with great friends & victory waffles this morning! #skol
5. Kimberly Played a Big Role in Helping Case Recover from a Torn ACL
During a game in the fifth year of his college career at Houston, Case tore his ACL after trying to make a tackle after an interception. Case would eventually be granted a sixth year of eligibility to play at Houston, but it was Kimberly that helped him make sure this was even possible. No one wants to have an injury, but Case told ESPN’s Ivan Maisel that their time together during his injury confirmed their future plans.
“It’s [Kimberly’s care during Case’s injury] one of the big reasons we’re married today,” Case told ESPN. “I realized how much she loved me. She showed it. I don’t think I could have gotten that from anybody else. Here’s a picture of her right here. She got her bridal portraits done at the stadium. That’s pretty funny, isn’t it?”
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