Why Are Eagles Benching Tanner McKee For Joe Milton?

Benching Tanner McKee for Joe Milton may not generate support across the board from analysts and fans devoted to the Philadelphia Eagles.

While a large portion of Eagles fans have been calling for Milton since the Eagles added him off the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad, the decision to name Milton the starter still came as a surprise on Wednesday, November 4.

Making Sense Of The Eagles’ Joe Milton Situation Before The Giants Game

The number one reason you’ll hear Milton getting this opportunity is because of mobility.

The Eagles run an offense that should be credited to Jalen Hurts. While Hurts famously backed away from keeping the ball on the ground before his recent slump, the Eagles still rely on the run when it’s needed.

McKee never carried a mobile badge. Throughout his nine NFL appearances, McKee rushed just 19 times. In his three starts this season, he has caught the ball and rushed six times for 26 yards. His 17-game average for his career comes in at 36 rushes for 62 yards per season.

Milton has appeared in five NFL games since 2024. In those two seasons, he rushed 15 times for 66 yards. Neither quarterback was dominant on the ground throughout their limited pro action, but Milton rushed well in college.

In his final season at Tennessee, Milton ran the ball 78 times in 12 games. Over 43 NCAA appearances, he had 174 rushing attempts for 661 yards. McKee’s rushing stats in college took a big hit because of the sacks he took. The former Stanford quarterback rushed for a true college 71 carries for 247 yards. McKee gets mobile, but Milton has the better background in that category.

Stock went down

Without saying a word, the Eagles let everyone know that they don’t think much of McKee going into the 2026 NFL season.

Not only did they trade Andy Dalton to compete with McKee during the offseason, but they ended up with Dalton as the initial backup, after allowing McKee to serve in that role the past two seasons.

Dalton eventually played into a demotion, but the fact that McKee started the season as a third-stringer is very telling. His stock was exhausted before he started the game. The Eagles received a three-game sample size, and were clearly not proven wrong.

McKee threw 114 passes. He completed 63.2% of his passes for two touchdowns and two interceptions. The Eagles went 0-3 with him under center.

When It’s Out of Season, Get Creative

Does it seem like a desperate move? Sure.

But face it, the Eagles are desperate. They haven’t won a game since September. The NFC East is weak, but every week of the season proves that the Eagles are nowhere near championship contender status.

Joe Milton may not be the answer, but the Eagles don’t know that yet. After an entire offseason, preseason, and three starts with McKee at quarterback, they knew McKee wasn’t the answer.

If McKee is likely out of the picture by the end of the 2026 NFL season, why shouldn’t the Eagles get creative and try something new? When the Eagles lost with Carson Wentz under center, they took a chance on Jalen Hurts and realized they had a franchise quarterback on their hands.

It goes without saying that these two situations are the same, but the Eagles will find a similar discovery. If Milton is promising, maybe they have answers to the looming backup quarterback question they’ll have at the end of the season.

Once the season is gone, get creative and try things you wouldn’t if you were fighting for a playoff spot. This is a rare opportunity for the Eagles, and they are wise to go in that direction.

Justin Grasso Justin Grasso is an NBA/NFL reporter, covering trending league news, transactions, injuries, and player developments. He is a credentialed journalist with nearly a decade of insider access. More about Justin Grasso