In Kubiak School

Case Keenum's true NFL apprenticeship begins: $100,000 Texans practice squadspot gives him chance to learn

Case Keenum spent six years at the University of Houston — and now he's going back to school.

Only now he'll essentially be attending Gary Kubiak quarterback school. The Houston Texans signed the ultra-popular hometown icon to its practice squad Saturday, giving Keenum a season to quietly get more used to the demands of an NFL offense and setting the stage for him to have a real shot at making an active roster next summer.

If everything goes right.

It's apparent that Kubiak believes Keenum is a more than worthy project.

There are no guarantees in the NFL of course — and no one needs to tell that to Keenum, who went undrafted despite racking up a string of NCAA records at Houston. Still, this isn't a bad first job out of college for any 24-year-old.

NFL practice squad players are guaranteed a minimum of $5,700 per week, which comes to $96,900 total if you stick the entire season. That's a far cry from the mega deals that some quarterbacks Keenum outplayed in college received (Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill landed a four-year $12.68 million contract with the Miami Dolphins for example).

Still, NFL practice squad money is nothing to sneer at.

NFL teams are free to pay their practice squad players more if they wish and a player on the squad is free to join another team's 53-man roster at any time.

Saturday's signing only technically assures Keenum three weeks of pay, but the Texans plan to keep him around for much longer than that. It's apparent that Kubiak believes Keenum is a more than worthy project.

"Obviously we think a lot of Case and what he’s done," Kubiak said.

Keenum wasn't given much of a chance to impress in the preseason as NFL veteran John Beck received the better opportunities and grabbed the third-string quarterback job. But that could change next summer, a summer that could determine Keenum's long-range NFL future.

Pigeonholed as a "system quarterback" and doubted because of his height (a pro quarterback-short 6 feet) and supposed limited arm strength, Keenum still faces plenty of future obstacles.

For now though, he gets to stay and learn in the city he fell in love with as a Cougar. Keenum and his wife Kimberly will not have to move out of their place on Kirby Drive. The quarterback in training will still have a short commute.

Keenum is not the only player with strong Houston ties to make the eight-man practice squad. Rookie tight end Phillip Supernaw, who played at Taylor High School in Katy, and Keenum's own Cougar teammate defensive end David Hunter, were also signed Saturday. Running back Jonathan Grimes, outside linebacker Delano Johnson, wide receiver Jeff Maehl and strong safety Eddie Pleasant round out the squad, which still has one open spot.

Keenum knows his spot for the near future. And it's still in Houston.

That's a win.

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pucker up

Growing pickleball franchise smashes into Houston with 2 locations

Two men play pickleball on a Picklr court.

Photo courtesy of The Picklr

A Picklr court campus similar to the ones soon to open in Houston.

Pickleball is one of the hottest sports sweeping the nation, and one of the biggest names in the game is setting up two new facilities in Houston. Picklr is scheduled to open indoor sports campuses in Cypress and The Woodlands in the coming months.

“Bringing a pickleball facility to Cypress will not only provide a fun and engaging recreational outlet for residents of all ages, but will also foster a sense of community and promote a healthy and active lifestyle,” said Steve Nguyen, owner of The Picklr Cypress.“This facility will serve as a vibrant hub for social interaction, skill development, and friendly/competitive competition, enhancing community bonds and offering a welcoming space for everyone to enjoy.”

Although the game is approximately 60 years old, pickleball saw a massive spike in popularity following the pandemic when people were looking for fun group activities with easy points of entry. Though a racket sport like tennis, it is far easier and slower thanks to using perforated balls, smaller courts, and lighter paddles. This means the game is open to players of all ages, and was originally most popular with retirees. Now, there are roughly 5 million players across America, with players under 24 making up the majority. Houston even has its own professional team, the Hammers (not the Texas Hammer; that's this guy).

The court in Cypress will be located in the old ASI Gymnastics building at 8920 Barker Cypress. It's a relatively modest facility with only six courts including a practice court. By contrast, The Woodlands location will be much more opulent. At 66,517 square feet, it will have 20 courts, 4 private event spaces (one with an exclusive viewing area), as well as a shower, changing room, dry bar, and kitchenette. Picklr The Woodlands will be located at 16590 Interstate I-45 South.

These locations are the first for Picklr in Houston. They have twelve locations all throughout Texas, including in Round Rock and McKinney, and many more nationwide. Picklr locations operate on a membership model similar to a gym. Memberships run $159 a month for adults and $89 for minors, with unlimited access to open play, league play, and tournaments , as well as four free clinics a month. Additional coaching is available.

There is currently no set opening date for the two Houston-area Picklrs. Players interested in learning more may sign up for updates at ThePicklr.com.

pickleball openings