Even though the Philadelphia Eagles are going to have their backups play in Week 18 against the Washington Commanders, there is still excitement in seeing one player take the field for his second career start.
Eagles backup quarterback Tanner McKee is going to get a shot at playing in 2025, as he will be replacing Jalen Hurts in the starting lineup with the starters resting. For McKee, this opportunity is one he has been waiting for, but it hasn't changed his mindset throughout the year.
"Super excited for the opportunity, but each week leading up to it, I've been preparing to play in case I do," McKee said via The Athletic's Zach Berman. "So each week has been pretty similar. It's nice to get more reps in practice, but excited for the opportunity."
Tanner McKee is ready for his shot at proving his worth in the NFL
McKee has appeared in three games this season for the Eagles, but only threw passes in the 31-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. He went three for three for 33 yards and rushed one time for nine yards in the win.
The third-year quarterback saw action last year in two games after injuries to Jalen Hurts and Kenny Pickett thrust him into action. He completed 66.7% of his passes for 323 yards and four touchdowns to zero interceptions, winning his only career start in Week 18 against the New York Giants in 2024.
His play led Eagles general manager Howie Roseman to call McKee in the offseason to tell him he would be the team's backup in 2025. Pickett was traded to the Cleveland Browns, and the rest is history for McKee.
This game, though, could lead to the Eagles losing their backup quarterback in the best way possible. Roseman got calls for McKee in the offseason, but he might get even more calls if the backup quarterback goes wild against the Commanders. The Eagles will be looking for a very high draft pick to be comfortable letting McKee go.
Some were hoping that rookie sixth-round pick Kyle McCord would quickly develop into that next great Eagles backup quarterback, but it didn't happen, as he is on the practice squad. That might lead to some hesitation from Roseman to let McKee go elsewhere, but the offers for him should be reasonable, with a solid start.
Read more: Commanders' latest injury update makes Nick Sirianni's decision look genius
McKee is showing a lot of confidence, which is good to see in a quarterback, as many NFL teams will be watching this game closely.