Sunday's NFC Championship won't be the first time back to Lincoln Financial Field for Zach Ertz -- that came back in November when the Washington Commanders played the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday Night Football -- but the playoff game will still carry some significance for the veteran tight end.
"When that whistle blows, it's not gonna be about the previous nine years that I had there," Ertz said.
Ertz was regarded as one of the league's best tight ends with the Eagles. He established himself as one of the best pass-catchers in franchise history with 6,267 yards, 579 receptions and 38 touchdowns. The two years that followed him being traded to the Arizona Cardinals were not as spectacular, primarily because of injuries. He was 33 years old when he became a free agent, and there was some speculation that he was nearing the end of his career.
But then Ertz signed with Washington, and over the last five months, he's been one of the key cogs in the Commanders' offense. His numbers are closer to those he had when he was voted to three straight Pro Bowls, and he's become one of Jayden Daniels' favorite options with 91 targets. The move to join the Burgundy & Gold extended his career and reignited his love for the sport.
"I just wanted the opportunity to come out here and prove that I am still the same guy," Ertz said.
Although he's the Commanders' first option at the position, Ertz knows his situation isn't the same as when he was in his late 20s, when the Eagles had him on the field for almost all their offensive snaps. However, he feels he's been used effectively, and the numbers show it.
Ertz's 91 targets and 66 receptions are his most since 2019, while his seven touchdowns are a personal best since 2018. He's been a reliable red zone target for Daniels, as shown by his two touchdowns against the Atlanta Falcons and his five-yard scoring grab in the Divisional round against the Detroit Lions. Daniels also has a 113.9 passer rating when targeting Ertz -- the second-best of any player on the roster with more than 50 targets aside from Terry McLaurin.
"A tight end can be a quarterback's best friend," Daniels said. "He's seen a lot of football in this league."
Ertz never thought about retiring after he was released from the Cardinals, but he wondered what would be next for him. He played just 17 combined games in the 2022 and 2023 seasons, and his film during that span didn't look as good as he wanted it to be. He had opportunities to play again, but they didn't feel right. So, rather than fret about the future, he reconnected with his college strength coach and spent eight weeks training and reconditioning his body.
Ertz signed with Washington not long after that, and he spent the rest of the offseason preparing for his 12th season. It was the longest he had spent exclusively on training since he joined the NFL.
"I had six months to train straight," Ertz said. "For me, just to be able to have that training again it was awesome to be able to just grind and get explosive again and get fast again."
It's not about the volume for Ertz anymore; he said he's gotten all the stats he needs for his career. Now, it's all about impact, and the Commanders have found ways to maximize their skill set.
"I had known red zone and third downs and two-minute would be a factor, and he surpassed those," head coach Dan Quinn said of Ertz. "He has really applied every bit of it, man. He wasn't going to miss this [opportunity]."
Ertz has been near perfect since the Commanders' bye week, catching all but four of his targets in the last six games. He only had 28 yards in the win over the Lions, but to his point, the impact was felt throughout the game. Aside from his five-yard touchdown catch that put Washington up by 10 points, he also had a seven-yard grab on fourth-and-3 that kept the offense on the field to score a touchdown four plays later.
Perhaps it's fitting that Ertz is looking more like his old self as he prepares to play in his first NFC Championship since 2018. In that game, which was also played at Lincoln Financial Field, Ertz caught eight passes for 93 yards in a 38-7 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
This time, though, any catch he makes will be about ending his former team's Super Bowl hopes.
"It's gonna be about making as many plays for this team as possible, whether that's in the run game or in the pass game. I'm not going out there with a chip on my shoulder or trying to prove people X, Y or Z. I'm just trying to out there and be the best version of myself."
