Broncos' Bill Keenum, Bill O'Brien disagree on Texan's exit

Broncos 'quarterback Box Keenum and Texans' coach Bill O'Brien reiterated a shared level of respect for one another with reporters in the lead-up to their Sunday meeting at Mile High in Houston.

Get your popcorn ready.

In Keenum's book – "Playing for more: Trust beyond what you can see" – he addressed the Texans' decision to sign a quarterback Ryan Mallet and cut him. He writes: "Coach O'Brien looked right at me and told me I'd never be more than a third-string quarterback in the NFL."

O'Brien's response on a Tuesday teleconference call with Broncos' media: "I thought about this one. . I think he's a helluva quarterback. As a head coach in the NFL, there are times when they are perceived to be certain. But in all my years of coaching, I've never said anything like that to any player. I feel bad that whatever he said was said, was said. But at the end of the day, I love you. I think he deserves everything he's gotten. He came up with a great deal of respect for Case Keenum. "

Keenum answered Wednesday to O'Brien's claim he never labeled Keenum has "third-string quarterback" upon his Texans' exit.

"I outlined it in my book," Keenum said. "I think it was chapter 11 if you guys want to go check that out. I said that how I wanted to say it in the book. "

Keenum was given an undrafted rookie tryout for the Texans in 2012 on graduation from the University of Houston, where he finished the NCAA's all-time leading pass (19,217 yards and 155 touchdowns). He made the team's practice squad. He started 10 NFL games between 2013-14 – compiling 182 completions for 2,195 yards, 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions with a 2-8 record. The Texans waived Keenum in August of 2014.

The Texans hired O'Brien the following January and Houston re-signed Keenum from the Rams' practice squad. Keenum won two games as Houston's starter before getting traded right back to the Rams a few months later.

In retrospect, Keenum remains thankful for the entirety of his Texans experience, even O'Brien 's alleged slight, because it' s the Broncos' starter. Proof positive, too, that Houston's head coach was flat wrong.