Philadelphia Eagles to Start Former Stanford Quarterback in Week 18

McKee had an NFL debut to remember, but now it is time for him to make his first ever start and attempt to add onto his historic start to his pro career.

Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee (16) against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Last week, former Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee put together a memorable NFL debut, coming in to help the Philadelphia Eagles cement a playoff spot while throwing his first two career touchdown passes.

He also became the first player ever to throw two touchdown passes in a debut with less than five pass attempts. With his memorable start being one for the ages, McKee has earned himself another shot to shine this season, with the Eagles announcing that he would be their starter for week 18.

Currently possessing a 13-3 record and having clinched both the NFC East title and the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs in week 17, the Eagles have no reason to rush starting quarterback Jalen Hurts back from a concussion that he suffered in week 16.

With second-string quarterback Kenny Pickett dealing with a rib injury and unable to play this week as well, McKee is the next man up and will lead out his team against the New York Giants.

Last week, McKee completed three out of his four pass attempts for 54 yards, with his first ever touchdown pass being caught by A.J. Brown. Later on, with the Eagles already up 34-7, McKee threw his second career touchdown pass when he connected with DeVonta Smith to help the Eagles go up 41-7 and go home with the dominant win.

Starting in the final game could be a prime opportunity for McKee to prove that he belongs as the team's longterm backup quarterback, despite the fact that the Eagles won't be playing for anything specific.

Another strong performance from him could put himself in a position to build up his name even more and firmly put himself on the NFL map.

A star at Stanford from 2020-2022, McKee played a limited role as a backup behind Davis Mills in his true freshman season but eventually took over the starting job in 2021 where a strong showing, despite the Cardinal finishing 3-9, helped him become one of the cornerstones for the rebuilding Cardinal.

In 2022, McKee threw for over 2,900 yards and 13 touchdowns to rise on NFL draft boards before ultimately being drafted by Philadelphia in the sixth round of 2023 NFL Draft.

The Eagles will certainly hope to get Hurts back for the first round of the playoffs ahead of a potential Super Bowl run, but knowing that they have a guy like McKee who can come in and shine when needed is added reassurance that the team may take an extended playoff journey.