During the Philadelphia Eagles’ NFC Divisional Playoff victory over the Los Angeles Rams in a snowstorm, quarterback Jalen Hurts struggled with a knee injury sustained in the third quarter of the 28-22 win. Hurts appeared to be in pain, even taking a safety at one point, raising concerns about whether he could continue playing.
Hurts’ backup, former first-round pick Kenny Pickett, was also dealing with an injury—bruised ribs. This led to a surge of calls on social media to replace Pickett with third-string emergency quarterback Tanner McKee.
McKee had impressed in his two regular-season appearances in 2024. He filled in for Pickett in the final moments of a 41-7 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17, and started in a 20-13 victory over the New York Giants in Week 18. McKee completed 30 of 45 passes for 323 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions in those games.
As the Eagles-Rams game progressed, McKee’s name quickly began trending on social media. Some fans even suggested that McKee might be a better fit for the Eagles offense than Hurts, who had signed a five-year, $255 million extension in March 2023.
One user, @Glenjr1988, tweeted, “If Jalen is injured, please go with Tanner McKee over Kenny Pickett.” Another, @DrezdanDale, stated, “Cannot convince me that Tanner McKee isn’t a better fit for this Eagles offense than injured Jalen Hurts.” @TheBirdsBlitz also chimed in, writing, “I’m calling this an EMERGENCY and skipping over Kenny Pickett to go right to Tanner McKee.”
Hurts had dealt with injuries late in the regular season, missing the last three games due to a concussion suffered in Week 16. He returned for the playoffs but hadn’t been at his best, throwing for 131 yards and two touchdowns in a 22-10 win over the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Wild Card round and 128 yards in the win over the Rams, without a touchdown or interception.
Hurts had also been playing with a broken finger on his left, non-throwing hand, which he revealed after the Eagles’ Week 15 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite his struggles, Hurts expressed confidence in his ability to play in the NFC Championship Game against the Washington Commanders on January 26. “Tough game. A challenging game. I was able to finish the game and we’ll see how the week goes,” he said after the Rams victory.
McKee, a 6-foot-6, 231-pound quarterback drafted in the sixth round by the Eagles in 2023, surprised many with his high-level performance. The Ringer’s Diante Lee praised the Eagles’ quarterback development, saying on “The Ringer NFL Show Podcast” that McKee’s play was as impressive as Pickett’s, calling it “unironically” deserving of the “Quarterback Factory Award.”
