Joe Milton to Start at Quarterback for the Eagles Against the Giants, Replacing Tanner McKee

The Philadelphia Eagles are making a quarterback change. Joe Milton III will start Sunday against the New York Giants in place of Tanner McKee, a team source confirmed to The Philadelphia Inquirer on Wednesday, Nov. 4. ESPN first reported the move, and NFL Network also reported it, according to NFL.com.

It will be Milton’s first NFL start. He has been with the team for less than a month.

Why the Eagles are switching to Joe Milton

The Eagles have lost six straight games, and their offense has struggled to sustain drives, NFL.com reported. McKee went 0-3 as the starter, completing 72 of 114 passes for 638 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. In Sunday’s 27-10 loss to Washington, Philadelphia led 10-0 before the offense stalled after the first quarter.

Protection has been a major problem. The Eagles rank fourth in the league in quarterback pressure rate allowed at 42.6%, per Next Gen Stats figures cited by the Inquirer. Milton’s mobility is a big part of the appeal. “If he gets pressure, he can roll out and keep the play alive,” tight end Dallas Goedert said, according to the Inquirer.

Goedert said players learned of the decision in a team meeting Wednesday. He added that the team had hoped to keep it quiet as a “competitive advantage” against the Giants.

How Milton got to Philadelphia

The Eagles signed Milton off the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad on Oct. 16, after starter Jalen Hurts went on injured reserve with blood clots in his lungs, the Inquirer reported.

Philadelphia is Milton’s third NFL team:

• 2024: drafted in the sixth round by the New England Patriots out of Tennessee
• April 2025: traded to the Cowboys
• Oct. 16, 2026: signed by the Eagles

He began his college career at Michigan, where he was recruited and coached by Jim Harbaugh. That’s a twist this week: Jim’s brother, John Harbaugh, is now the Giants’ head coach.

What Joe Milton III has done in the NFL

Milton, 26, has played in five NFL games, all off the bench. He has completed 37 of 53 passes (69.8%) for 424 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, and he has run 15 times for 66 yards and a score, per the Inquirer.

His longest action came in Week 18 of the 2024 season with New England. He went 22-of-29 for 241 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score in a 23-16 win over Buffalo. He also had a fumble in that game.

NFL.com described him as an “enticing athlete” with a strong arm who can hunt big plays, a style that “also can get him into trouble.”

What Nick Sirianni said

Coach Nick Sirianni praised Milton’s work at his Wednesday news conference, about two hours before the news broke. “I think he’s worked really hard,” Sirianni said, per the Inquirer. “He is always in the building doing the extra things. I like his progression.”

Goedert said Milton throws hard but delivers a “really catchable ball.” He also said McKee didn’t play “terrible” in his three starts, but the offense needs a spark.

A fourth quarterback this season

Milton will be the fourth player to line up at quarterback for the Eagles this season. Hurts started the first five games and McKee the next three. Andy Dalton threw one pass in Week 3 against Chicago, which was intercepted, and was released about a week and a half later, the Inquirer reported.

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