Tanner McKee’s three years of waiting behind Jalen Hurts are about to turn into his biggest test yet. With Hurts ruled out indefinitely by the Eagles after an ultrasound revealed a superficial blood clot in his calf had moved, according to Ian Rapoport, McKee is positioned to be Philadelphia’s starting quarterback with the Eagles’ playoff hopes on the line.
The Eagles drafted McKee in the sixth round in 2023, and he has spent every season since on the roster behind Hurts under coach Nick Sirianni. That patience now puts him in line for meaningful snaps in a season where Philadelphia sits at 2-3 and faces questions about its direction, according to Sporting News.
How McKee Won The Backup Job
McKee did not simply inherit the No. 2 role. He spent this offseason in direct competition with veteran Andy Dalton for the backup quarterback spot, a battle that ran from OTAs through the entirety of training camp. Neither player separated himself during that stretch, according to Sporting News, but the Eagles ultimately sided with the younger arm.
That decision became clear in Week 4, when Dalton was inactive for Philadelphia’s game against the Los Angeles Rams and McKee served as Hurts’ primary backup. The move signaled where the organization’s confidence stood even before Dalton’s subsequent release, which PennLive reported followed a costly mistake by the veteran, though the team left open the possibility of a return.
Why The Eagles Trust McKee’s Upside
Philadelphia has been high on McKee as a young backup with upside since drafting him, according to Sporting News. That evaluation has carried him through three seasons of development on an active roster that includes an MVP-caliber starter in Hurts, who threw for 200 yards in Week 5 before his injury, per USA Today.
McKee’s long-term future with the franchise is not settled. He is unsigned for 2027, and the Eagles used a fifth-round pick this year on Cole Payton out of North Dakota State, a rookie who can compete to become Hurts’ top backup down the line. For now, though, McKee is the player the Eagles are turning to with their season on the line.
The Opportunity Ahead
Hurts was ruled out for Philadelphia’s Week 6 matchup against the Carolina Panthers, and his absence is expected to extend beyond that game given the indefinite nature of the diagnosis. That leaves McKee to try to keep the Eagles competitive in the NFC at 2-3, a position CBS Sports has framed as one where the organization needs to stay the course rather than make panic moves in the quarterback trade market.
How long McKee holds the job depends on Hurts’ recovery timeline, which has not been specified publicly beyond the “indefinite” label attached to the blood clot situation. Until more is known, McKee’s performance in relief duty will be the clearest signal of whether three years of preparation behind Hurts translates into results when it matters most.
What’s Next
McKee is set to lead the Eagles against the Panthers in Week 6, his first extended test as the team’s starting quarterback. Philadelphia’s coaching staff and front office will be watching that performance closely as they weigh any further moves at the position while Hurts remains out.
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