Eagles Fan Happily Returns QB McKee’s First Touchdown Ball

Tanner McKee (16) of the Philadelphia Eagles looks to pass against the Dallas Cowboys during the third quarter at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Dec. 29. Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

The fan who caught Tanner McKee’s first career touchdown pass was happy to give the ball back in exchange for a signed jersey.

McKee saw his first regular-season NFL action at quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 29. Replacing QB Kenny Pickett, who left the game with a rib injury, McKee threw a third-quarter touchdown pass to wide receiver A.J. Brown.

Brown then heaved the ball some 30 rows into the stands, where fan Patrick Driscoll caught it.

Brown immediately realized what he had done and asked for the ball back. Driscoll happily obliged.

“A.J. tossed it from the end zone, I grabbed it one-handed [in the abdomen], looked around, he wanted that ball back, I was like, let’s get [Tanner] that ball back, man, let’s keep the Eagles on a run right here,” Driscoll told NBC 10 Philadelphia.

“I had a drink in one hand and then it kind of reminds me of coaching,” Driscoll—who coaches football at his alma mater, Audubon High School—told 6ABC Action News. “When I’m out there coaching the high school guys, I’m holding a play script in one hand and I’m getting the ball back from the receiver. I just caught it, that little one-hander right there.”

Brown could be seen on the broadcast putting his head in his hands after he realized what he had done. Brown spoke to Driscoll from the sideline and offered his jersey in exchange for the ball. Eagles Chief Security Officer “Big Dom” DiSandro walked over to the section where Driscoll was standing and repeated Brown’s offer.

Driscoll said that other fans pointed out that it was McKee’s first NFL touchdown. He walked down the stands from his seat and met DiSandro to give the ball back. A fan captured video of Brown giving the ball to McKee on the sideline and embracing him.

Brown made good on his word. After the game, Brown walked to the stands. A team staffer pointed out Driscoll, and Brown took off his jersey, signed it, and tossed it to Driscoll.

McKee was grateful to his teammate for getting the ball back. “I appreciate that, that he went and did that,” McKee said in the locker room. “When I threw the ball, I mean, we have some huge linemen, so I was just hugging all of those guys. I had no idea where the ball went. When I came to the sideline, someone was like ‘A.J. just hucked the ball, he’s gonna go get it, and so I appreciate whoever gave the ball back, and obviously A.J. for going and snagging it for us.”

McKee entered the game midway through the third quarter for Pickett, who aggravated a rib injury he suffered last week against the Washington Commanders. In addition to his first, he threw a second touchdown with a little over 10 minutes to play in the fourth quarter, on an underneath pass to DeVonta Smith, who escaped a tackle and slipped between four Cowboys defenders for a 26-yard score. McKee finished the day completing three of four passes for 54 yards and two touchdowns.

“It’s surreal,” said McKee, who was a sixth-round draft pick for the Eagles in 2023. “You grow up dreaming of playing college football and then someday in the NFL, and so to actually be able to play in the NFL, play with these guys, throw a touchdown pass, win a game, it’s surreal, it’s really awesome.”

McKee said he wasn’t quite sure what he would do with the ball. “We have a little stand in our little living room space, so I might throw it up there.”