Following the Philadelphia Eagles’ Week 2 preseason loss against the New England Patriots, head coach Nick Sirianni had to address the state of the QB2 battle.
While Sirianni had plenty to say, a four-word quote confirmed what everybody was wondering as they watched a lopsided battle on the Patriots’ turf.
“It’s still a competition,” Sirianni told reporters. All of the tape will get reviewed, and conversations will be had, but Sirianni isn’t ready to call the competition off with a winner decided just yet.
Nick Sirianni Drops Key 4-Word Quote On Eagles’ QB Battle After Patriots Loss
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – MAY 27: Head coach Nick Sirianni of the Philadelphia Eagles talks to the media during OTA offseason workouts at Jefferson Health Training Complex on May 27, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Beyond stating that the battle is ongoing, Sirianni credited Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee for battling and assured the public that he was “really confident” in both players.
Considering the order that the quarterbacks have been in throughout the offseason, it’s assumed that Dalton has been in the lead going into Saturday’s action. Sirianni discussed Dalton’s plenty of QB2 reps behind Jalen Hurts in practice, along with his back-to-back starts.
“The reason Andy is going in first is because he’s not going to play as much as Tanner because he has more experience and he has more experience within this type of system, and Tanner needs to continue to play there,” Sirianni said.
“I think you saw the improvements there from Tanner. We got to continue to give both of them opportunities within practice and potentially games. We’ll see how both games go. Obviously, I’m not there yet [for next week’s game]. But obviously, that was the plan today.”
Tanner McKee Scores A Point
GettyFOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – AUGUST 22: Tanner McKee #16 of the Philadelphia Eagles makes a pass in the second quarter against the New England Patriots during a preseason game at Gillette Stadium on August 22, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images)
Last week’s offensive performance was lackluster all around. Neither quarterback found separation.
This week is a different story. Dalton checked in and three 3-for-10, totaling 44 yards. He didn’t toss for any touchdowns.
As for McKee, he completed 16 of his 22 passing attempts. The young veteran produced 173 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions.
The state of the battle could shift in next week’s lineup of practices, along with the preseason finale against the Cincinnati Bengals on Friday, but Sirianni isn’t ready to make changes just yet.