The Philadelphia Eagles are turning to backup quarterback Tanner McKee after starter Jalen Hurts was sidelined with a blood clot in his calf, a condition whose severity has not been disclosed.
McKee, 26, was selected by the Eagles in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft and has served as Hurts’ primary backup since last season. While rookie Cole Payton is also on the roster, McKee’s greater NFL experience makes him the likely choice to take over under center.
McKee has yet to play a snap this season but has appeared in six NFL games over the past two seasons, including starts in each of the Eagles’ Week 18 games. In that limited action, he has thrown for 597 yards and five touchdowns against a single interception, completing 61.4 percent of his passes.
Before arriving in Philadelphia, McKee started two seasons at Stanford, where he threw for 5,336 yards and 28 touchdowns over three years with the Cardinal. He entered college later than most prospects, having spent two years on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Brazil before joining the Stanford roster.
McKee has credited that time away from football with helping prepare him physically for the college game. Speaking to Deseret News in 2020 after returning from his mission, he described a daily routine that kept him in shape.
“Because we had that weight room in my last area, I think I gained back 10 pounds,” McKee said. “That was super nice. We worked out every morning and I was able to get a little bit back in shape. He threw the rugby ball and I threw the football. Now, when I throw, my arm doesn’t really get sore. It’s nice to come back home and work out at full speed.”
It remains unclear how long McKee will serve as Philadelphia’s starting quarterback, as the timeline for Hurts’ recovery from the blood clot has not yet been made public.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login