Jalen Hurts might miss the game against Dallas that could clinch the NFC East title due to the lingering effects of a concussion.
The Eagles might also decide to rest Hurts to be cautious—even if he’s cleared to play before Sunday’s game—and protect their star quarterback from any further injury in the final two games.
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni kept quiet this week about which quarterback will start on Sunday, mainly because of the head injury Hurts suffered in last week’s loss to Washington, which put him in the concussion protocol.
The situation was made more complicated when backup quarterback Kenny Pickett got injured with a rib problem after filling in for Hurts in his first real game in nearly a year.
Tanner McKee, the third-string quarterback, could move into a backup role or possibly even start against the Cowboys.
The Eagles’ quarterback situation has become the main focus, even more so than Saquon Barkley’s pursuit of Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record, as the team heads into the final two games.
The Eagles (12-3) are almost certain to win the division title, as they are two games ahead of Washington (10-5), and they will likely hold the No. 2 seed in the conference, no matter who starts at quarterback heading into the playoffs. Even with an uncertain quarterback situation, the Eagles are still 7½-point home favorites to beat Dallas, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
Sirianni appreciates that quarterback depth has been a strong point for the Eagles.
“We feel good about that room,” he said.
So, why risk playing Hurts against Dallas? There’s little reason to put Hurts on the field just a week after taking two hits to the head. Giving him an extra week off—maybe even two if the game against the Giants doesn’t matter—could help his recovery before a home playoff game.
The Eagles learned from a similar situation last season when Hurts and star receiver A.J. Brown were both injured in the final game against the Giants, which had little impact on the standings. Both players were hurt unnecessarily, and the Eagles were knocked out the next week by Tampa Bay in the NFC wild-card playoff game.
If Hurts can’t play, the Eagles have other options. Pickett completed 14 of 24 passes for 143 yards in relief, throwing a touchdown pass to Brown and an interception. Pickett, a first-round pick out of Pitt in 2022, had a 14-10 record as a starter for the Steelers before being traded to the Eagles in the offseason.
McKee, a sixth-round pick from Stanford in 2023, has yet to play in a regular-season game. The 6-foot-6, 231-pound quarterback usually works on the scout team in practice or gets extra reps with the top receivers after practice.
“Every week, every opportunity, it’s knowing it could be my shot, my chance,” McKee said.
He might finally get that chance against Dallas.
