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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Glenn Erby

Zach Ertz fell back in love with the game thanks to opportunity with Commanders

Zach Ertz is an Eagles legend, but he was sent away in trade, allowing Dallas Goedert to become Philadelphia’s No. 1 tight end.

Fast forward almost four years, and Ertz has played with the Cardinals and Commanders, with the latter allowing the future Hall of Fame tight end to regain his love for the game.

Philadelphia and Washington will meet for a shot to advance to the Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.   Ertz is one of the biggest storylines, and he’s regained his clutch gene playing security blanket to ascending rookie Jayden Daniels.

During a sitdown with the Philadelphia Inquirer, Ertz gave insight into regaining “his love for the game.”

“It was really an opportunity for me to just fall back in love with the game again,” Ertz said, “and really just enjoy the process again and just be around people that know how to use me and allow me to be at my best. It’s just been so much fun. It’s exceeded all my expectations. Obviously playing with a quarterback like Jayden has helped a ton and just his humility and eagerness to grow.”

Daniels threw for 3,568 yards with 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions while leading the team in rushing with 891 yards and another six touchdowns during the regular season.

Terry McLaurin is the big play mechanism for Washington, but Ertz has been the glue of the passing game, logging 66 catches for 654 yards and seven touchdowns, his most since 2018, the last time he played an entire season before this one. During Saturday’s win in Detroit, Ertz caught all five of his targets for 28 yards, including a touchdown before halftime that extended the Commanders’ lead to 10 points before halftime.

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