The Philadelphia Eagles made the decision to bench current starter Tanner McKee, who was promoted to QB1 after franchise quarterback Jalen Hurts was ruled out for the season with a blood clot that spread to his lungs last month.
In his place the team will ride with – for the moment – former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and impressive raw talent Joe Milton, who has yet to start a game in the NFL.
Tanner McKee Speaks to Media After Being Replaced at QB
Speaking to the media in light of the benching for the first time since it was announced earlier this week, McKee shared his thoughts on the situation.
“Obviously, as a competitor, would love to be out there as much as I can.” McKee said.
“I think when things happen that are unfortunate, you got to control what you can control, and you have to look inward, think of, you know, what can I do moving forward to better myself, better the team. And so that’s the approach that I’m going to have.”
Nick Sirianni Called Tanner McKee Prior to Benching
McKee also shared that head coach Nick Sirianni called him before the decision was released to the public.
“Yeah, Nick called me. You know, it’s one thing I appreciate about. They’ve been very, you know, upfront about things. And, I know what he said in the media on Monday, the day before, but he said he wanted to communicate to the guys before, you know, he says anything to the media. He doesn’t want us finding out in the media, which I appreciate.”
McKee star has certainly faded somewhat since he was the fanbase’s darling following an excellent performance against the New York Giants in the last week of the 2024 season.
This year, he is 0-3 in starts and has just a 77.5 passer rating. The situation is far from ideal; he has little to no run game and has been missing his top two wideouts for his past two games. The former sixth round pick may well have a future in the NFL as a long-time backup, but for now the reins have been turned over to Milton.
Tanner McKee Makes Clear Statement After Eagles Benching