Why Eagles QB Tanner McKee − not Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley − was Brazil media’s darling

SAO PAULO, Brazil − The Eagles held a press conference for Brazilian media members Thursday, featuring some of their key players like quarterback Jalen Hurts and running back Saquon Barkley.

But it was Eagles’ third-string quarterback Tanner McKee, who has never played a down in an NFL game, who stole the proverbial show.

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McKee was already well known in Brazil because he spent nearly two years in the South American country, from 2018-20, on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-Day Saints.

He became fluent in Portuguese during that time. And it made the media’s day when McKee took a question in Portuguese from a reporter, then answered in Portuguese, then translated it into English, even though the NFL had supplied a translator.

This is how the exchange went after the question came in:

McKee said to the crowd of about 50 media members: “You want me to do it in Portuguese?”

The translator said the question in English: “Basically, we wanted (to know what it’s like) to be back in Brazil again and be back here after years of living here.”

McKee responded: “So you want me to say it in Portuguese and you’ll translate it? I can translate for myself.”

After a long answer in Portuguese, McKee says in English: “It’s great to be back.”

Then there was a long pause for effect, followed by laughter, before McKee continued: “It’s pretty fun because I always try to keep up with my Portuguese. I try to say things on Whatsapp or Instagram with people that I’ve met and had friendships with down here.

“But it’s different (today) because we can actually talk to someone face to face. I have family that’s here. My wife’s here. My parents are here. And they’re going to Rio and places that I lived and served in … So it’s really fun to just kind of be back in the culture.”

McKee was asked another question in Portuguese about some players’ fears about crime in Brazil, which has been reported over the past week. And if McKee has talked to those players to allay their fears.

Again, McKee answered in Portuguese, then translated for himself: “I was just saying, a lot of guys haven’t been here before, so it’s a lot of things they don’t really know. So they’re asking me, ‘How’s the crime rate? How’s this?’ We have a lot of things that we do whenever we travel to any city: We’re going to have to be safe. We’re not going to walk out on the street, whether we’re in the United States or outside of the United States.

“It’s not necessarily specific to here. It’s just a) people don’t really know the culture, and b) it is a big city … The people are great. The (players) are excited for the game. There’s nothing to be scared of. It’s pretty cool.”

The Brazilian media also asked McKee a football question, about what the offense will look like under new coordinator Kellen Moore.

And here, McKee provided some clues for what the offense might look like Friday night.

“A lot of pre-snap motion, a lot of changing things on defense,” he said. “I think it is more quarterback friendly of just being able to go through progressions. I think with football, we have a lot of good players, and you don’t want to slow down by having to think too much.

“You just want to go out and play fast, and have a kind of clean edge and go out and play. I think that’s kind of what they’re giving us this year – go out and play football, let’s not over-complicate things … We’re going to run what we run. I’m just excited to see it, and I’m just as excited for you guys to see AJ (Brown) and (DeVonta Smith) and Jalen and Saquon go do their thing.”

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline. Follow on X @Mfranknfl, on Threads and Instagram @martinfrank1.