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Tim McManus, ESPN writer
PHILADELPHIA — Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said Kenny Pickett will start Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys as Jalen Hurts continues to recover from a concussion.
“[Hurts] It’s still in the protocol. It’s going to be tough for him to do it this week,” Sirianni said Friday before the quarterback was officially ruled out.
Hurts exited last week’s game against the Washington Commanders midway through the first quarter after his head collided with the turf when he was hit by linebacker Frankie Luvu while falling to the ground following a 13-yard run.
Hurts was replaced by Pickett, who went 14 of 24 for 143 yards with a touchdown and an interception in a 36-33 loss.
Pickett injured his ribs in the fourth quarter when linebacker Bobby Wagner tackled him in the backfield. He remained in the game, but had X-rays taken immediately afterward and had follow-up tests on Monday.
Pickett did not reveal the results of those tests, but said the injury “is something I’m going to have to deal with.” He plans to wear additional padding around the rib area in addition to the body armor he normally wears on game day.
Tanner McKee will assume the No. 2 quarterback role behind Pickett. McKee, a sixth-round pick out of Stanford in 2023, has impressed in training camp practices and preseason games over the past two seasons. He’s been working on getting snaps from center Cam Jurgens this week, so it’s nothing new for him if he gets called up in Sunday’s game.
The Eagles’ chances of clinching first place in the NFC fell to 4% after the loss to the Commanders, according to NFL NextGen Stats, but Philadelphia can still win the division with a win over Dallas or a Commanders loss or a tie against the Atlanta Falcons. .
