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The Philadelphia Eagles clinched the NFC East and the team could still end up with the number one seed in the conference. But Philly took on the Dallas Cowboys Sunday without starting quarterback Jalen Hurts, who suffered a concussion early in Week 16’s matchup against the Washington Commanders. Kenny Pickett filled in but was forced from Sunday’s game in the second half leaving third-string QB Tanner McKee at the helm.
McKee played well, finishing off the Eagles’ 41-7 rout of the Cowboys. And the second-year passer threw his first career touchdown, connecting with AJ Brown for a 20-yard score in the third quarter. The only problem? Brown didn’t realize it was a meaningful moment for McKee and the wideout fired the ball into the stands, per The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov on X.
Once the Pro-Bowl receiver was made aware of his mistake he was immediately apologetic, offering to trade a game jersey in exchange for the ball. Fortunately the Eagles’ head of security, Big Dom DiSandro, was on the scene, negotiating with the fan for the safe return of McKee’s keepsake.
A man of his word, Brown sought out the fan who returned the ball after the game. He then removed his game-worn jersey and signed it, via NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
For his part, McKee already knows exactly where he’s going to put his first touchdown ball, according to Eagles reporter Ashyln Sullivan. He understood that he might have an opportunity to make an impact in Week 17’s matchup due to the Eagles’ QB situation.
Eagles’ third-string QB Tanner McKee got his first career TD pass in Week 17
While Dallas showed tremendous heart in Week 16’s victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a performance that seemed to ensure that head coach Mike McCarthy would be back with the team in 2025, the Eagles wrecked the Cowboys in Week 17.
McKee went 3/4 for 54 yards with two touchdowns and no turnovers and Pickett completed 10 passes for 143 yards and a score before his early exit. But Saquon Barkley was the engine behind Philadelphia’s dominant offensive showing. The seventh-year running back continued his remarkable debut season with the Eagles, racking up 167 yards on 31 carries Sunday.
With the monster performance, Barkley eclipsed 2,000 yards on the season – a mark only eight other RBs in football history have reached. Incredibly, Barkley has a legitimate shot at breaking Eric Dickerson’s long standing rushing record of 2,105 yards. He’s now just 100 yards shy of tying the record with one game remaining.
The Eagles close out the regular season against the New York Giants. It’s possible the team could be playing for the top seed in the NFC, which comes with a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Either way, Barkley will be going for football history in Week 18.
