Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Eagles Bench Tanner McKee and Name Joe Milton III the Starter Against the Giants

The Philadelphia Eagles are changing quarterbacks again. Joe Milton III will start on Sunday against the New York Giants, ESPN reported on Wednesday, Nov. 4, two days after head coach Nick Sirianni told reporters the team would not make a change.

Milton replaces Tanner McKee, who started the last three games after Jalen Hurts was sidelined by blood clots. The Eagles lost all three of those games and have lost six in a row. Philadelphia is 2-6 heading into the home game against the Giants, who are 4-2-1.

A public reversal in two days

On Monday, Nov. 2, Sirianni was direct about the job. "Tanner's our guy. We're not making any changes there," he said at a news conference, in comments reported by USA TODAY. By Wednesday, Sirianni was praising the progress Milton has shown since he arrived last month, according to a Field Level Media report.

McKee went 23 of 32 for 212 yards with one interception in Sunday night's 27-10 loss to the Washington Commanders. Across his three starts he has thrown for 638 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Why Milton, and why now

Hurts is likely out for the season after doctors found that his blood clots had traveled to both of his lungs, USA TODAY reported. He was placed on injured reserve, and McKee took over in Week 6.

Milton, 26, gives the offense a different look. The Eagles signed him off the Dallas Cowboys practice squad on Oct. 16. New England drafted him in the sixth round in 2024. He has not taken a snap this season. In five appearances for the Patriots and the Cowboys over the last two seasons, he went 37 of 53 for 424 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, and he ran 15 times for 66 yards and a score, according to NBC Sports. His biggest outing came in the final week of the 2024 season for New England, when he threw for 241 yards on 22 of 29 passing. Sunday will be his first start in the NFL.

The numbers explain the urgency. Philadelphia ranks last in the league in yards per game at 265.3 and in yards per play at 4.4, 31st in expected points added per play at minus 0.20 according to Next Gen Stats, and 30th in scoring at 17.1 points per game, USA TODAY reported.

The problems run past the quarterback. The Eagles hired a new offensive coordinator, Sean Mannion, this year. Right tackle Lane Johnson retired in September. The team traded interior lineman Cam Jurgens to the Baltimore Ravens. Running back Saquon Barkley and receiver DeVonta Smith have both missed significant time with injuries.

Sunday's opposing quarterback adds a twist. The Giants start J.J. McCarthy, and Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio called the trade that landed McCarthy a steal for New York, NBC Sports reported. Philadelphia now hopes its own new arrival can give the offense the same kind of lift.