Former Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz is back home. No, Ertz is not back with the Commanders. This week, the Philadelphia Eagles, where Ertz spent the first 8.5 seasons of his 13-year career, signed him to their practice squad. The Eagles play the Chicago Bears on Monday night and are without starting tight end Dallas Goedert, meaning they could elevate Ertz.
Ertz will soon begin Year 14 in the NFL, back where it all started.
Ertz explained what it felt like to return to Philadelphia.
“There was never a plan to come back,” Ertz said. “Obviously, I never wanted to leave in the first place, so let’s just put that out there. The opportunity finally arose where I could come back. There’s been times I asked in the past to come back, and it didn’t
come to fruition for whatever reason. But for me, it’s just a blessing to be back.
If you told me when I got hurt that I’d be back here in nine and a half months practicing for the Philadelphia Eagles, you could have signed me up then. For me, this is a place I always called home. This is the place where, if anyone asks my favorite place to play, everyone knows it’s here.”
Zach Ertz: “There was never a plan to come back. Obviously, I never wanted to leave in the first place.”
— Brooks Kubena (@BKubena) September 24, 2026
He said he’s asked to come back several times and it “never came to fruition.”
“It’s just a blessing for me to be back. pic.twitter.com/dSN1yeWdgL
Ertz, who turns 36 in November, spent the past two seasons with the Washington Commanders and suffered a torn ACL in a game against the Minnesota Vikings last December. Rather than end his career on that note, Ertz wanted to return and finish on his terms.
During his two seasons with the Commanders, Ertz started 30 games, caught 116 passes for 1,158 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was a key part of Washington’s 2024 playoff run and a team leader.
Over his 13-year NFL career, Ertz has caught 825 passes for 8,592 receiving yards and 57 touchdowns. Ertz was a part of the Eagles’ first-ever Super Bowl victory in 2017, including catching the go-ahead touchdown pass in the win over the New England Patriots.
The Commanders and Eagles played in Week. They will meet again on Nov. 1, when Philadelphia comes to Washington for Sunday Night Football.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Former Commanders TE calls returning home to Eagles a 'blessing'
