Philadelphia Eagles Get Huge Start From McKee

Before week 18, McKee had only played in one NFL game. Impressing in that appearance, McKee earned the chance to start in Week 18 of the 2024 NFL season, where he continued his emergence in the first half.

Jan 5, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee (16) reacts after drawing the New York Giants offsides during the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Tanner McKee continues to make his presence in the NFL known. Last week, the former Stanford quarterback saw his first moments of action in the NFL a year after the Philadelphia Eagles drafted him in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

After an impressive debut, where he threw two touchdown passes on only three completions, McKee got the call to start for the Eagles in week 18 with the team's top two quarterbacks out and continued the impressive start to his NFL career.

In the first half of the Eagles' matchup against the New York Giants, McKee completed 65% of his passes (17-for-26) for 190 yards and a touchdown pass, connecting with rookie Ainias Smith to get the Eagles out to an early 6-0 lead late in the first quarter.

You always remember your 1st TD 🕺@ainias_smith | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/w0O99SlIe5

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 5, 2025

Throwing 26 passes, McKee attempted the most first half passes by an Eagles quarterback this year, surpassing the previous mark of 22 set by Hurts earlier this season.

Being a very well balanced offense all year long, with the league's best running back in Saquon Barkley leading the backfield, the Eagles instead opted to give McKee the keys to run the show, with him proving just how effective of a backup he is.

Officially locked in as the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs and unable to rise to the first seed, the Eagles came into their Week 18 matchup knowing that they had nothing to play for and used the game as a chance to rest their starters ahead of what is expected to be a grueling playoff run.

However, having the star talent they have combined with the locker room presence of guys like McKee should put the Eagles in prime position to be one of the biggest threats to win the Super Bowl.

McKee is still in the very beginning stages of his career, but with the Hurts entrenched as the Eagles' franchise quarterback for the forseeable future and McKee's current run of success proving that he can be a star in this league, it is very possible that McKee could find himself wearing a new uniform next year and earn a bigger role on a more quarterback needy team.

With the No. 2 seed, the Philadelphia Eagles will face the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round next Sunday at 1:30 PT. The Eagles beat the Packers in the first game of the season, 34-29, in São Paulo, Brazil.