PHILADELPHIA – As Tanner McKee’s teammates mobbed him after he threw the first career touchdown pass on just his third career NFL pass, A.J. Brown, who caught the 20-yard throw, was heaving the ball into the Lincoln Financial Field crowd.
Brown was completely unaware of the moment, for giving away a ball that should be in whatever trophy case McKee chooses to put it in at his home, where it would reside forever and ever.
“Nick told me on the sideline,” said Brown. “I felt so bad because I threw it so far. I’m just glad we got it back. We got great fans here.”
Brown got it back. It appeared to cost him the jersey off his back. Literally. After the Eagles' 41-7 destruction of the Dallas Cowboys was complete on Sunday, he went to the crowd behind the end zone, peeled off his shoulder pads and then jersey, signed it, and tossed it into the crowd. Presumably for the McKee souvenir.
“He’s like, ‘I’m sorry, bro. I got the ball back,’” said McKee, “So he’s good. He made a great play and a great catch.”
McKee tossed a 25-yard touchdown to DeVonta Smith in the fourth quarter to close the scoring and finish the rout.
McKee entered the game early in the third quarter, taking over for a gutsy Kenny Pickett, who played with what players admitted in the locker room afterward were broken ribs. Now, McKee is in the NFL record books after becoming the first player to have multiple touchdown passes in his first career game while attempting five or fewer passes.
“It’s surreal,” said McKee, a sixth-round pick in 2023 from Stanford. “You grow up dreaming of playing college football, and then someday in the NFL. So, to actually play in the NFL, play with these guys, throw a touchdown pass, win a game, it is surreal. It’s awesome.”
McKee inherited a 24-7 lead when Pickett went out and added 17 more points, completing three-of-four passes for 54 yards and two TDs in 21 snaps.
Combined with Pickett’s numbers and the two QBs went 13-for-19 for 197 yards, three touchdown passes, one rushing touchdown, no interceptions, and a 141.9 passer rating.
That should lead to a bow from general manager Howie Roseman, who has built a successful quarterback room, upgrading from Marcus Mariota last year and Gardner Minshew from the two previous years. And taking a QB like McKee with a workable skill who can be developed into a definite No. 2 and maybe even a starter somewhere in the league, in the sixth round was the right move.
Pickett talked about his performance after the game but was also asked about his fellow backup.
“I’m so happy for Tanner,” he said. “He's a great guy. Being in the quarterback room, you spend so much time together. We watched a lot of tape together on the opponent for whatever week it is. In the meetings, and on the field, and in the weight room. So happy for him, and he does everything right.”
