It was the Tanner McKee show in Philadelphia on Thursday night.
The backup quarterback, playing in place of reigning Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts as he rests for the regular season, took the reins under center for the Eagles in their preseason debut, leading them to 27 points over their first six offensive drives. He finished the night 20 of 25 passing for 252 yards and two touchdowns, while adding another score on the ground in classic Tush Push fashion.
Here's a look at his three touchdowns, which all came in the first half:
.@McKeeTmckee good for 6️⃣ pic.twitter.com/aD3u0mqLKq
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) August 7, 2025
.@ainias_smith in for the touchdown! pic.twitter.com/q7L8FZycgJ
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) August 8, 2025
Football is fun :) pic.twitter.com/xlFMDVbiAL
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) August 8, 2025
McKee, 25, was drafted by the Eagles in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL draft and has spent his first two-plus seasons in Philly. With Kenny Pickett traded to the Browns this offseason, the former Stanford Cardinal quarterback enters 2025 with the inside track to the team's permanent backup job.
McKee has since been pulled from the game as the Eagles lead Cincy 27–17. Fellow signal callers Dorian Thompson-Robinson and rookie Kyle McCord will likely quarterback the rest of the way, giving themselves a chance to punch back in the competition.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Backup QB Tanner McKee Shines in Eagles Preseason Debut vs. Bengals.
