Tanner McKee’s mission to Brazil gets national airtime during Eagles-Commanders game

Elders Tanner McKee and Pedro Cabral, missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, kneel in prayer with the Almeida family, to whom they are teaching lessons about the church, in Paranaguá, Brazil, on Saturday, June 1, 2019. “Serving a mission will help me improve my game at a higher level for sure,” McKee says. “One of the most important roles as a quarterback is to help everyone reach their full potential and so as a missionary, I’m trying to help the people that we’re teaching to reach their full potential.” | Spenser Heaps

NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” broadcast of the Philadelphia Eagles vs. Washington Commanders highlighted Latter-day Saint missions on Sunday.

While Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee huddled with his teammates in the second quarter, photos of his mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — that were taken for a 2019 Deseret News story — appeared on the broadcast.

Elders Tanner McKee and Pedro Cabral, missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ride a bus from Paranaguá to Curitiba, Brazil, as McKee transfers to a new area of the mission on Monday, June 3, 2019. While McKee will transfer to a new area with a new companion, Cabral will receive a new companion and travel back to Paranaguá. | Spenser Heaps

Play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico talked about McKee serving in Brazil and learning Portuguese. Though he misidentified the church as “the church of Latter-day Saints,” Tirico said he learned while covering BYU that missionary service “touches so many players.”

NBC did a feature on Philadelphia Eagles QB Tanner McKee’s (@McKeeTmckee) LDS mission to Brazil tonight on Sunday Night Football.

Really appreciate the quality journalism and respectful words from @miketirico! pic.twitter.com/noDpMEpGfy

— Peacemaking Saint (@PeacemakingSt) November 2, 2026

While showing a photo of McKee holding a football while riding a bus from Paranaguá to Curitiba, Brazil, Tirico noted how little of a missionary’s time is spent on football while serving.

“He may get one day a week to throw it and do some football, athletic stuff,” Tirico said. “The rest of the days, you’re spreading the word, following your religion.”

Tirico then talked about the personal, spiritual impact that can come from serving a mission.

“(Missions) lay the spiritual foundation that you can lean into through challenges that come in life,” he said.

Elders Tanner McKee and Pedro Cabral, right, both missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, talk to Liz Cristina and her daughter, Isabella Vitoria, outside their home in Paranaguá, Brazil, on Saturday, June 1, 2019. | Spenser Heaps

McKee was thrust into the NFL spotlight this season after Eagles starting quarterback Jalen Hurts was diagnosed with pulmonary emboli and was placed on injured reserve, according to USA Today.

McKee, drafted in the sixth round out of Stanford, entered the 2026 season as the Eagles’ third-string quarterback behind Hurts and backup Andy Dalton, whom the Eagles released roughly a week before Hurts was added to the injured reserve.

McKee has started the last three games in Hurts’ absence as the Eagles have gone 0-3, including against the Commanders. In those three losses, he’s completed 72 of 114 passes for 638 yards and two touchdowns and two interceptions.

The Eagles are sticking with McKee as their starter despite the offensive’s struggles, head coach Nick Sirianni told reporters on Monday, per NBC Sports.

“Tanner’s our guy. We’re not making any changes there,” he said. “Again, how do we find solutions? That could be within scheme, that could be within what our schedule is, practice plays. Everything is on the table for us in that aspect. But right now, this is where we are right now and we’re trying to find solutions there.”

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee (16) passes against the Washington Commanders during the second half of an NFL football game in Landover, Md., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. | John McDonnell

Source: sports.yahoo.com — article syndicated from the publisher’s feed; all rights remain with the original publisher.