zach-ertz
Getty Images

Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz suffered a torn ACL in Sunday's loss to the Minnesota Vikings, the team announced. Ertz exited the game in the third quarter after taking an ugly hit to the leg from Vikings defensive back Jay Ward.

On the play, Ertz leapt as he tried to reel in a high throw from quarterback Marcus Mariota. As Ertz was in the air, Ward undercut him with a hit directly to his knee. The blow bent Ertz' knee backward and flipped him in midair. Trainers quickly rushed onto the field to attend to Ertz, and he had to be carted off the field.

In his Monday press conference, Commanders coach Dan Quinn said Ertz has been an "ideal teammate" since joining the team in 2024. He also said Ertz helped build a culture of hard work and attention to detail.

"The habits, that what stuck out to me more than anything," Quinn said of Ertz. "Just doing the extra and not getting bored with the details whether it was hitting the Jugs, footwork or the technique part of it. ... Those are the type of elite habits when you're putting a program together that's like, 'That's what it looks like, and I want to point that out whenever I can.' It's been significant for us."

The 35-year-old Ertz was the Commanders' second-leading receiver on the season with 50 catches for 504 yards and four touchdowns. With Ertz on a one-year contract, his NFL future is now in question.

A second-round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013, Ertz established himself as one of the most productive tight ends of his era. In 13 seasons, split between the Eagles, Commanders and Arizona Cardinals, Ertz totaled 825 receptions for 8,527 yards and 57 touchdowns.

As a member of the Eagles, Ertz earned Pro Bowl honors in three consecutive seasons from 2017-19. He was also a hero in Philadelphia's Super Bowl LII win over the New England Patriots with seven catches, 67 receiving yards and what proved to be the game-winning touchdown reception.

In 2020, injuries and the emergence of Dallas Goedert reduced Ertz's role within the Eagles' offense. Just six games into the 2021 season, the Eagles traded Ertz to the Arizona Cardinals, where he played for three seasons before signing with the Commanders in 2024.

Ertz had a late-career resurgence with the Commanders last season as he caught 66 passes for 654 yards and seven touchdowns. He helped Washington reach the NFC Championship Game, where he caught 11 passes for 104 yards in a losing effort against the Eagles.

The loss of Ertz is just another in a long line of devastating injuries the Commanders have dealt with in 2025. Most notably, star quarterback Jayden Daniels and No. 1 wide receiver Terry McLaurin both missed significant time. Daniels even left Sunday's game shortly before Ertz did, although Quinn said Daniels could have gone back in but was held out for precautionary reasons.