The Eagles are entering the NFC championship game with a starting quarterback that’s less-than 100% healthy. Who will they turn to if he goes down?
Starter Jalen Hurts was banged up while taking a sack during the Eagles‘ divisional round win against the Rams last weekend. While he was taken to the ground, his left knee buckled awkwardly underneath the rest of his body weight.
Hurts played out the remainder of that game, and he’s in line to start again in the NFC title game. He told reporters earlier this week that he’ll be wearing a knee brace on Sunday against the Commanders.
Should Hurts aggravate his knee injury, the Eagles have two more quarterback options on their depth chart to turn to.
Who is the Eagles backup quarterback?
Kenny Pickett, a first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022, is Hurts’ backup. Pickett started one game (Week 17 vs. Dallas) and entered in relief of an injured Hurts in Week 16 vs. the Commanders.
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Eagles QB depth chart
Philadelphia has three quarterbacks on their roster entering Sunday’s NFC championship game against the Commanders. Here’s how it looks:
- Jalen Hurts
- Kenny Pickett
- Tanner McKee
Pickett entered the league as the Steelers‘ first-round pick in 2022. After Pittsburgh signed veteran quarterback Russell Wilson in the offseason, it traded Pickett and a 2024 fourth-round pick to the Eagles in exchange for a 2024 third-rounder and two 2025 seventh-round picks.
McKee was the Eagles’ sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft. He made his first appearance in an NFL game in Week 17 this year after Pickett re-aggravated a rib injury. McKee’s first career start came one week later in Week 18 against the Giants, and he picked up his first career win in the matchup.
Kenny Pickett stats
Pickett has had to fill in for Hurts in a couple of games during the regular season while the starter was dealing with a concussion. He appeared in five games in 2024, with the bulk of action coming in Weeks 16 and 17.
Here are Pickett’s stats from those five regular season appearances:
- Completion rate: 25-of-42 (59.5%)
- Passing yards: 291
- Yards per attempt: 6.9
- Touchdowns: 2
- Interceptions: 1
- Passer rating: 86.5
- Rush attempts: 9
- Rushing yards: 15
- Yards per rush: 1.7
- Rushing touchdowns: 1
Who is Jalen Hurts’ Backup Quarterback?
With Jalen Hurts firmly established as the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, many fans are wondering who his backup quarterback is. The answer is Joe Flacco.
Flacco, a veteran quarterback with plenty of experience in the NFL, was signed by the Eagles in the offseason to provide depth at the position. While Flacco may not see much playing time behind Hurts, his presence on the roster provides valuable experience and leadership for the team.
As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see if Flacco is called upon to step in for Hurts in case of injury or if the coaching staff decides to make a change at the quarterback position. Regardless, having a reliable backup like Flacco gives the Eagles some peace of mind knowing they have a capable quarterback waiting in the wings.
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