Eagles' Tanner McKee Believes He's Figuring It Out More as Starting QB

The Philadelphia Eagles will need guys to step up in a major way, especially at quarterback with Tanner McKee. Over the past couple of years, there's been a sense that McKee can be a decent backup quarterback in this league, and he's proven that when called upon. 

Some have taken it a step further and said he could have been a starter on other teams, though it remains uncertain how he'll look now that he truly has this opportunity. 

McKee will make his second start of the season, his first in his career. In 2024 and 2025, McKee played four games in 2025 and two in 2024, starting only one game each.

In his first start of the 2026 season against the Carolina Panthers, there were some positives, but frankly, most of his struggles were clear. McKee went 26 of 45 for 215 yards and one touchdown. 

Completing only about 57% of passes typically won't end well for a team that's also banged up in the run game and other areas.

As for how McKee feels moving forward, it sounds like he's building some confidence. If there's one positive to take away from all this, it's that McKee recently said he knows it's different now that he's a starter, and he has to be a leader like he never has been before.

“There's only one quarterback on the field at a time,” McKee said after practice Thursday. “And so when you step into the huddle, you're expected to be the leader, know where everyone's supposed to be, get everybody on the right page. And whether that's in a workout or staying extra, being the last guy to leave the building, I feel like there is that expectation for whoever that guy is.

“And obviously, there’s still that expectation if you're a backup or whatever to prepare like the starter. But I feel like I've definitely taken an extra step forward in that. And I want the guys to trust me. I want the guys to know that when I go in there, they have full confidence that the offense is going to run smoothly. And I'm going to know what I'm supposed to do. I'm going to know what they're going to do,” McKee said, per NBCS Philly.

No one can predict what McKee will look like given his limited time in the league, but there are positives to take away from what others in the organization have said. 

Many have come out to support him, saying he's a great teammate, has the talent, and can be a guy the Eagles can rely on for the rest of the season.

The interesting part is that if Philadelphia loses this game and still believes it can compete in the NFC East, the question will likely turn to who it goes after and whether it tries to land another starting quarterback with Jalen Hurts out for the remainder of the season.