Tanner McKee has done everything a team and fan base can ask of a sixth-round draft pick, completing 66.7 percent of his passes for 323 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions last season. Madden NFL was not impressed, however, and slapped the Philadelphia Eagles backup quarterback with a brutal 61 player rating. The legendary video game series may want to reconsider its system following Thursday's 34-27 preseason win versus the Cincinnati Bengals.
When asked what he thought his rating was, a spirited McKee ambitiously guessed a 75. He was stunned to learn the real score. “Whoa!,” he exclaimed while sporting a big smile on his face. “Madden, come on, man… Watch Thursday, tune in. Be ready.” Vengeance thy name is Tanner.
McKee indeed delivered a splendid performance in front of the home crowd at Lincoln Financial Field, connecting on 20-of-25 pass attempts for 252 yards and two touchdowns. He also forced his way into the end zone via the Eagles' patented “Brotherly Shove” QB sneak play. His final TD, which was a 20-yard dart over the top to wide receiver Darius Cooper, stretched Philly's lead to 10 in the second quarter.
While it is only preseason, McKee had to gain some satisfaction from sticking it to Madden. Further solidifying his No. 2 spot on the depth chart probably feels good, too. The Eagles stood up for their guy and made a simple appeal on his behalf.
“Dear {Madden NFL},Please accept this as our official request for a rating change for Tanner McKee,” the team's official X account posted after the game. “Sincerely, The Philadelphia Eagles.” That will be a tough letter to ignore.
Dear @EAMaddenNFL,
Please accept this as our official request for a rating change for Tanner McKee.
Sincerely,
The Philadelphia Eagles pic.twitter.com/Ydep9b7lkf— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) August 8, 2025
The 25-year-old, who played 23 games with the Stanford Cardinals before arriving in the NFL in 2023, continues to take the rating in stride. He is just grateful to help his squad build momentum this summer, as the defending Super Bowl champions inch closer to their Sept. 4 season-opening clash with the Dallas Cowboys. McKee is having fun with the whole situation, though, and is embracing his new nickname.
“We'll let them decide,” the 6-foot-6 signal-caller said, per 94WIP.com's Eliot Shorr-Parks, when asked if he thinks Madden will change his rating following his strong outing against Cincy. “I've had a lot of people come up to me and be like ‘hey, nice job 61.' It's been fun joking around.”
Everyone loves an underdog, but that is doubly true when they exude infectious energy and endless modesty. McKee understands what his role is on this team, and he relishes the opportunity to contribute when head coach Nick Sirianni calls his No. 16. And although Jalen Hurts' presence will limit his chances to get on the field with the Eagles, this man continues to surpass expectations.
Madden should have an easy decision to make.
