The Philadelphia Eagles are likely going to play the remainder of the 2026 NFL season without the services of their starting quarterback, Jalen Hurts.
Hurts is dealing with multiple blood clots in his lungs, which were discovered ahead of the Eagles' Week 6 matchup with the Carolina Panthers.
Hurts' agent, Nicole Lynn, and the Eagles have both expressed optimism about his long-term outlook. However, the 28-year-old quarterback will need to miss an extended period of time while on blood thinners to clear up the medical ailment, meaning he is unlikely to return to the field until 2027.
That has opened the door for a new quarterback to take on the starting role in Philadelphia.
Tanner McKee started in place of Hurts in Week 6 and the 26-year-old is expected to remain the Eagles' top quarterback as the 2026 season rolls on.
Here's everything to know about McKee and how Philadelphia's quarterback depth chart currently shakes out behind him.
Who is Tanner McKee?
McKee is a 26-year-old backup quarterback who is in his fourth season with the Eagles. The 6-6, 231-pound signal-caller has played sparingly across his NFL career but has routinely played well in exhibition play.
McKee has routinely generated buzz across the last two preseasons. In 2025, he enjoyed an outing where he completed 20 of 25 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns to earn the Eagles' backup job. In 2026, he completed 63% of his preseason passes for 263 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, though he initially lost the team's backup quarterback job to Andy Dalton.
But now, McKee will get a chance to show what he can do as an NFL starter. The free-agent-to-be will hope to parlay a strong showing into a lucrative contract offer as either a high-end backup quarterback or a stopgap starter.
Where did Tanner McKee go to college?
McKee played collegiately at Stanford. He spent three seasons with the Cardinal and served as the team's primary starter for two of them.
McKee posted a 6-15 record across 21 career starts at Stanford. He completed 63.2% of his passes for 5,336 yards, 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions while also adding six rushing touchdowns.
During his final season at Stanford, McKee completed 62% of his passes for a career-high 2,947 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. His steady performance helped put him on the radar of NFL teams and ultimately made him a selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.
When was Tanner McKee drafted?
McKee was selected by the Eagles in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The Stanford product was the 13th quarterback off the board in the draft and was chosen with the 188th overall pick.
McKee is one of just six quarterbacks selected in 2023 to still be with the team that drafted him. He joins Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Anthony Richardson, Stetson Bennett and Aidan O'Connell in achieving that feat.
Tanner McKee stats in NFL
McKee has played sparingly during his NFL career to date. He enters Week 7 of the 2026 NFL season with just three starts to his name.
That said, McKee has comported himself well across that action, completing 60.2% of his passes for 812 yards, six touchdowns and one interception. He has averaged just 6.1 yards per attempt while posting a 1-2 record but will hope to show he can be a quality game manager across what should be an extended run with the Eagles.
Eagles QB depth chart
Here's how the Eagles' quarterback depth chart looks entering Week 7.
- Tanner McKee
- Cole Payton
- Joe Milton III
Hurts' absence has elevated Payton, a fifth-round rookie, into the backup role behind McKee. The North Dakota State product hasn't yet played an NFL snap, but the dual-threat quarterback enjoyed a standout college career, completing 71.9% of his passes for 2,719 yards, 16 touchdowns and four interceptions while adding 777 yards and 13 touchdowns on 136 carries.
Milton joined the Eagles on Oct. 16 after opening the season on the Dallas Cowboys' practice squad. The Tennessee product was a sixth-round pick by the New England Patriots in the 2024 NFL Draft and has routinely impressed in the preseason thanks to his cannon arm, excellent mobility and elite athleticism.
Milton has never technically started an NFL game, but he played the majority of one for the Patriots in 2024. He has completed 69.8% of his career passes for 424 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions while adding 66 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.
What happened to Andy Dalton?
Dalton, who opened the season as the Eagles' backup quarterback, he was released on Oct. 9, which allowed McKee to rise back into the team's backup role.
Dalton appeared in just one game for the Eagles when he replaced Hurts for a drive against the Chicago Bears while the starter was being evaluated for a concussion. Dalton threw an interception in the end zone on that play. It was his lone pass attempt with Philadelphia.
Dalton didn't take long to find work after his release from the Eagles. The Atlanta Falcons signed him to a contract on Oct. 19, releasing fellow veteran Cooper Rush to make room for Dalton on their roster behind Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Tanner McKee? Eagles QB starting with Jalen Hurts sidelined by blood clots
