Trading a Helmet for a Headset: USU's Chuckie Keeton on the Super Bowl Sidelines

A former Utah State quarterback is headed to Super Bowl LX — he’ll just be donning a headset instead of a helmet.

Currently an offensive assistant for the New England Patriots, Chuckie Keeton spent time at USU as both a player and coach and was instrumental to the USU football program’s turnaround in the 2010s.

Prior to joining the Patriots this season, Keeton spent 2024 as an offensive assistant with the Patriots’ Super Bowl opponent — Seattle.

While with the Seahawks, the Houston, Texas native primarily worked with then-Seattle QB Geno Smith who set single-season franchise records in passing yards, pass attempts, completions, and completion percentage.

Since joining Mike Vrabel’s staff, Keeton has been part of one of the most surprising turnarounds in the NFL as New England went just 4-13 in 2024. This year’s Patriots team, which went 14-3 in the regular season, became the first team to reach the Super Bowl with a first-year head coach after winning four or fewer games the previous year.

Keeton’s arrival also coincides with the emergence of second-year quarterback Drake Maye, who built off a solid rookie campaign to throw for 31 touchdowns, nearly 4,400 yards, and insert himself squarely in the MVP mix.

An unheralded 2-star recruit out of Cypress Creek High School, Keeton burst into the national spotlight in 2011 as a true freshman when he nearly led the Aggies to an upset over defending national champion Auburn.

The following year was even better as Keeton led USU to its first outright conference championship since 1936 and first Top 25 finish (No. 16 AP) since 1961. He set then single-season school records for touchdown passes (27), passing yards (3,373), total offensive yards (3,992), completions (275) and completion percentage (67.6%).

In 2013, Keeton got off to a blistering start, throwing 17 touchdown passes through USU’s first five games (second in the nation) to just two interceptions and even generated some Heisman buzz. Unfortunately, a season-ending knee injury derailed that campaign.

Keeton, who graduated from Utah State in 2015 with a degree in business administration, finished his playing career as the holder of more than 10 school records, including the top spot in total touchdowns with 74 and passing touchdowns with 62.

In 2016 he jumped into the coaching ranks at Oregon State where he joined former USU head coach Gary Andersen as an offensive quality control assistant and offensive graduate assistant. Keeton returned to Utah State in 2018 for his first coaching stint with the Aggies as an offensive quality control coach for a team that finished with an 11-2 record and Top 25 ranking.

After two seasons at Texas Tech, Keeton returned to USU once again in 2021, this time as the running backs coach. That season, USU’s offense set six school records, while the Aggies tied the program record with 11 victories, won the school's first-ever Mountain West Championship, and defeated Oregon State in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl.

Keeton spent one more season in the college ranks as an offensive analyst at Marshall before making the jump to the NFL, and and finding success with both Super Bowl teams. So, whether you’re cheering for the Patriots, Seahawks, or your team didn’t make the big game this year, you can still cheer for an Aggie on Sunday.