PHILADELPHIA — It was the Tanner McKee show on Thursday night as the Philadelphia Eagles won their preseason opener, 34-27, against the Cincinnati Bengals.
But for as good as McKee was (more on him in a bit) there were other standouts under the Lincoln Financial Field lights for the Eagles — and a couple disappointments.
Let’s take a closer look at the winners and losers from Philadelphia’s preseason opener.
Winner: Tanner McKee
McKee loves to light up the preseason. Last year, he looked good as the QB3. On Thursday, McKee took advantage of his opportunity with Jalen Hurts watching from the sideline.
McKee completed 20 of 25 passes (80% completion rate) for 252 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. The third-year quarterback out of Stanford averaged an excellent 10.1 yards per attempt. And he made it look easy, even going up against most of Cincinnati’s starters early.
McKee found Ainias Smith in the back of the end zone for a six-yard touchdown. He flighted a 20-yard pass to where only Darius Cooper could get it for another score. He was calm in the face of pressure. He looked to be in complete control. He was darn near perfect.
McKee showed again why he could be one of the best backups in the league — and why he could be a valuable trade asset next offseason.
Bengals Eagles Football
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) runs by Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Kelee Ringo (7) for a touchdown during an NFL football game, Thursday, August 7, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.)AP
Loser: CB Kelee Ringo
The Eagles would have loved for Ringo to dominate the preseason and put his stamp on the first-team job opposite Quinyon Mitchell. That has not happened to this point.
Ringo, after an iffy start to camp, had a big opportunity to change the narrative on Thursday, going up against All-Pro wide receiver JaMarr Chase for a couple drives. Instead of stepping up, Chase made him look silly. Ringo whiffed on a tackle attempt on Chase, who spun away from the third-year corner and coasted in for a 36-yard touchdown.
Chase, arguably the best wideout in the league, makes most corners look silly. But the Eagles are going to face some great receivers this season — Justin Jefferson, Puka Nakua, CeeDee Lamb, Malik Nabers and Amon-Ra St. Brown, to name a few. And if that display against Chase is anything to go off of, it’s fair to wonder whether or not Ringo can be relied upon.
Loser: CB Adoree’ Jackson
Jackson, Ringo’s top competition for the starting job, didn’t fare much better. The Bengals picked on him a bit, too. Chase separated from Jackson for an easy first down along the sideline. And when Jake Browning came in for Burrow, the backup QB connected with reserve Charlie Jones for a 21-yard gain on first-and-20 in one-on-one coverage with Jackson.
I listed Jackson as one of my players with the most to prove on Thursday night. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has made it clear that it wasn’t his decision to sign the 29-year-old this offseason. Couple that with the Eagles’ decision to trade for Las Vegas Raiders corner Jakorian Bennett earlier this week, and Jackson didn’t do himself any favors.
Winner: Ty Robinson
The Eagles dealt defensive tackle Thomas Booker IV in exchange for Bennett. Booker was on last year’s Super Bowl team and was viewed as a roster player this year, too. But Booker was deemed expendable thanks to the Eagles’ young talent at defensive tackle.
Some of that young talent was on display against the Bengals. More specifically, Robinson — the fourth-round rookie out of Nebraska — made a noteworthy first impression.
Robinson mauled Browning, the Bengals’ backup, for a sack in his first NFL action. Robinson utilized a delayed stunt to run free through the heart of Cincinnati’s offensive line, greeting Browning with a massive hit. Nice play by the rookie.
Winners: WRs Darius Cooper, Johnny Wilson
It was unfortunate to see Elijah Cooks, a 2024 undrafted wide receiver and one of the stars of training camp, get carted off with an injury. It’s unclear what the extent of the injury was, but Cooks was pushing for a spot on the 53-man roster.
Cooper and Wilson, to a lesser extent, are in the same boat. Earlier this week, Nick Sirianni spoke glowingly of Wilson, noting how his 6-foot-6 frame is valuable. Wilson, a strong bet to make the roster already, had a couple jump balls.
Cooper, though, really stood out. He had the aforementioned touchdown catch, beating Bengals corner DJ Ivey clean off the line of scrimmage. But the undrafted rookie out of Tarleton State didn’t stop there. The 5-foot-11 receiver had some juice, securing six catches for 82 yards. Cooper’s speed on crossing routes was particularly impressive.
It wasn’t a surprise to see both Cooper and Wilson produce. Both have showcased their respective skills throughout camp. But it was a positive sign to see it under the lights.
Winner: the Tush Push
The first, unofficial touchdown of the Eagles’ 2025 season was oh so fitting. After the NFL’s attempted ban of the “tush push” dominated headlines this offseason, the Eagles lined up in their signature short-yardage formation on their opening drive.
Fourth-and-goal. One yard to go. All too easy. McKee, not Hurts, was assisted into the end zone, drawing a loud cheer from those at Lincoln Financial Field.
The “tush push” is here to stay.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.