Former Stanford Cardinal Tanner McKee is finally getting his first shot to be an NFL starting quarterback.

McKee started at quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles this past weekend against the Carolina Panthers after the team placed Jalen Hurts on injured reserve due to serious blood clots. On Monday morning it was announced that Hurts would miss the rest of the season because of the issue, making way for McKee to take over the rest of the campaign.

McKee completed 57% of his passes (26-for-45) for 215 yards and one touchdown pass in a 25-14 loss, dropping the Eagles to 2-4. But he played well for a majority of the game, showing poise even though he was thrown into the fire so quickly.

He will look to build off his performance this past week and keep the Eagles season afloat. McKee is a free agent after the season, so good performances the rest of the way could earn him a sizable contract in the offseason, either from the Eagles or another quarterback-needy franchise.

McKee received his first real opportunity under center in his second NFL season in 2024, when he started the final game of the regular season. In a 20-13 Week 18 win over the New York Giants, he threw for 269 yards and two passing touchdowns with zero turnovers, earning his first NFL victory. The Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl that season, giving him his first ring.

Last year, he played in four games with one start, serving as Hurts' backup. McKee started Week 18 once again and went 21-for-40 in pass attempts for 241 yards, one touchdown and one interception in a 24-17 loss to the Washington Commanders.

McKee played at Stanford from 2020-2022, serving as the program's starting quarterback in his final two seasons. In 2021, he started nine games and completed 65.4% of his pass attempts for 2,327 yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

McKee's first full season as the starter was in 2022, when he started all 12 games and completed 62% of his passes for 2,947 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

While he was not highly touted coming out of college, he still generated interest from teams and was eventually selected in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Eagles. Expectations for lower-round draft picks are not very high, but he is eager to add his name to the list of late-round star quarterbacks. Players on that list include Tom Brady and Brock Purdy.

McKee and the Eagles face the Dallas Cowboys at home on Monday Night Football in Week 7, and Dallas is a team that has had struggles of its own. In what has been a weak NFC East, a win would get the Eagles one step closer to reclaiming the division lead.

After the game against the Cowboys, they face the Commanders on the road on Sunday Night Football in Week 8 before returning home for a game against the Giants in Week 9 right before their bye week.