PHILADELPHIA — Tanner McKee is expected to start at quarterback as the Eagles are planning to rest some starters for Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Washington Commanders, a source confirmed Wednesday.
McKee, the 2023 sixth-round pick out of Stanford, is expected to get the nod over starter Jalen Hurts as the Eagles are prioritizing rest and avoiding injury while still hoping to win the game.
The Eagles currently hold the No. 3 seed in the NFC and can move up to No. 2 with a win over Washington and a Chicago Bears loss to the Detroit Lions. The Eagles will play either the San Francisco 49ers or Los Angeles Rams if they remain the No. 3 seed, or they will face the Green Bay Packers if they get the second seed.
Coach Nick Sirianni did not disclose his plans Wednesday, saying he wanted to address the players in their team meeting first, but he did say they were “nearing” a decision.
The Eagles had a week of rest prior to their two Super Bowl runs under him during the 2022 and 2024 seasons. The one year they did try to improve their seeding, star receiver A.J. Brown injured his knee in the 2023 regular-season finale against the New York Giants and was unavailable for their wild-card playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
McKee is 33-of-48 for 356 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions in spot duty in Philadelphia.
“When you see Tanner, he’s really good about knowing where to go with the football, seeing the defense and being able to deliver things accurately,” Sirianni said. “It’s a great room where those guys feed off each other and learn from each other.”
The Philadelphia Inquirer was first to report the Eagles’ plan to rest starters.