The Eagles are making a change behind Jalen Hurts, and Tanner McKee is getting the backup quarterback job over veteran Andy Dalton, according to Mike Garafolo.
That decision comes after Dalton had initially won a close training camp battle following Philadelphia’s trade for him from the Panthers. But his grip on the role loosened after last week’s loss to the Bears, when he came into the game while Hurts was being checked for a concussion and threw an interception in the end zone.
Philadelphia’s quarterback room has been crowded all along. The Eagles kept Dalton, McKee and fifth-round pick Cole Payton on the roster, leaving them with four quarterbacks on the 53, which is unusual.
Dalton, 38, arrived in Philadelphia with plenty of NFL mileage. He was a second-round pick by the Bengals in 2011 and was in the final year of the seven-year, $97.09 million contract that included $17 million guaranteed when Cincinnati moved on from him. From there, he spent a year with the Cowboys as a backup, then landed with the Bears for the 2021 season as their starter before the team eventually turned to rookie Justin Fields.
His next stops were New Orleans and Carolina. Dalton joined the Saints on a one-year deal, then signed a two-year contract with the Panthers. Carolina later gave him a two-year, $8 million extension last offseason before sending him to Philadelphia this offseason for a 2027 seventh-round pick.
Before the trade, Dalton had played four games for Carolina in 2025, starting one. He completed 25 of 37 passes for 293 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.
McKee’s path has been much quieter, but the Eagles have seen enough to make the switch. The 26-year-old was an honorable mention All-PAC-12 selection in 2021 at Stanford and had landed on several preseason award watch lists before declaring for the draft after his junior season.
Philadelphia took him No. 188 overall in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and he is now in the final year of a four-year, $4,026,520 rookie deal that included a $186,520 signing bonus.
In 2025, McKee has appeared in four games for the Eagles and completed 24 of 43 passes for 274 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
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