Zach Ertz was once a Super Bowl hero, but by the end of 2023, he found himself without a team and facing an uncertain future.
In 2022, Ertz had 47 catches for 406 yards in his first full year with the Arizona Cardinals under head coach Kliff Kingsbury. In 2023, after Kingsbury was gone and injuries limited his season, Ertz recorded just 27 catches for 187 yards.
The Cardinals released him in November, and he joined the Detroit Lions’ practice squad for their playoff run, but never played in a game. After the Lions lost to the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, Ertz was left without a job. At 33, three years removed from his best season, and coming off his worst year, it seemed like his career might be over.
Ertz shared how hard it was after his knee injury and being without a team for a long time, saying, “I didn’t know if I was going to be done after I didn’t get picked up for a long time. I had opportunities to play but it wasn’t the right opportunity.”
Then, in February, new Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn hired Kingsbury as offensive coordinator, and just five weeks later, they signed Ertz. Suddenly, Ertz had a chance to revive his career.
“When Cliff got this job and D.Q. (Quinn) got this job, it was really an opportunity for me to just fall back in love with the game again,” Ertz said. “And just be around people that know how to use me and allow me to be at my best.”
Ertz had an excellent season with the Commanders, catching 66 passes for 654 yards and seven touchdowns, his best performance since 2021. He added seven more catches for 51 yards and a touchdown in the postseason and now prepares to play in the NFC Championship Game against the Eagles, the team where he made his mark.
During his time with the Eagles, Ertz caught 579 passes for 6,267 yards and 38 touchdowns over 8 ½ seasons. He’ll always be remembered for his key Super Bowl moments, including a crucial 4th-down catch and the game-winning touchdown.
Now, with 775 career receptions, Ertz has moved past Jimmy Graham and Greg Olsen to become sixth all-time among tight ends. He’s also ninth in yards with 8,088 and twelfth in touchdowns with 53. His 43 postseason catches tie him with former teammate Dallas Goedert for 11th-most by a tight end.
This year, Ertz was one of quarterback Jayden Daniels’ top targets, with 66 catches for 654 yards and seven touchdowns, just behind Terry McLaurin in total receptions.
Reflecting on his difficult year in 2023, Ertz said, “I do think that those thoughts of, ‘Are you still the same player?’ creep in when you have the year like last year, where it was just extremely difficult.”
But, Ertz proved those doubts wrong
He may not be the same player who set an NFL tight end record with 116 catches in 2018 or made three straight Pro Bowls, but he is still one of the NFL’s top tight ends. His 66 receptions this season ranked 6th among tight ends, and his seven touchdowns were 4th-most. Heading into Sunday’s NFC Championship Game, he has 43 career postseason catches, tied for 11th-most by a tight end in NFL history.
So, how did Ertz turn his career around? He credited the extra-long training time he had after his 2024 season ended early. “I had six months to train straight,” he said, “and so for me just to be able to have that training again at my age, it was awesome to be able to just grind and get explosive again, feel fast again.”
Ertz added, “It’s not the volume for me anymore. I’ve had all the stats that I need to have. It’s just about making an impact however I can.”
