Earlier this week, the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles made a trade, sending quarterback Kenny Pickett to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a fifth-round draft pick.
After the trade took place, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo wrote on X that the move could lead to an increased role for Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who will be in his third NFL season this fall.
“Tanner McKee has really impressed the #Eagles and pushed Kenny Pickett for the No. 2 spot behind (starting quarterback) Jalen Hurts last year,” Garafolo wrote. “McKee now with a clear path to be the primary backup next season.”
A sixth-round draft choice by the Eagles (188th overall) in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Stanford, McKee appeared in two games — with one start — in 2024 after not playing at all in his rookie season in 2023.
In those two games, McKee completed 30 of 45 pass attempts for 323 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions. In his Week 18 start against the New York Giants, the 6-foot-6, 231-pound McKee completed 27 of 41 passes for 269 yards with two touchdowns as the Eagles won, 20-13.
Pickett, on the other hand, played in five games in 2024 but had five fewer completions, 32 fewer passing yards and two fewer touchdown passes.
Thompson-Robinson played in seven games for the Browns, completing 61 of 118 pass attempts for 440 yards with no touchdowns against six interceptions.
In addition to trying to defend their Super Bowl title, the Eagles in 2025 will be trying to maintain one of the best offenses in the NFL without former offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints like McKee who was hired after the Super Bowl to be the New Orleans Saints’ head coach.
The Eagles promoted passing game coordinator Kevin Patullo to offensive coordinator to replace Moore.