When Zach Ertz suffered a season-ending knee injury last December, he didn't know if that would be the end of his storied NFL career. But Ertz vowed at that moment to give everything that he had in order to make a comeback a possibility.
He praised his wife, soccer superstar Julie Ertz, for taking care of a household with three young boys while he embarked on his mission to return to the field. He wanted to set an example for those young boys that there are times in life that you have to dig down deep and battle to overcome adversity.
"I was going to do everything I could to give myself a shot to not go out like that. And so I really committed myself," Ertz said. "I was going to do everything I could to get back and I could live with those results."
The comeback brought him to where his NFL career began as a second-round pick in 2013. One of the most accomplished tight ends in franchise history, Ertz signed to the Eagles' practice squad on Tuesday.
"It's going to be special to experience the city with all my sons and my family again in a different light," he said at his locker following practice on Thursday. "There's so many memories when you're in a place for nine years, so it's special to be back."
Ertz was in Philadelphia when players like quarterback Nick Foles and wide receiver DeSean Jackson returned after playing for other teams. He vividly recalled the fans' excitement to see those beloved Eagles back in Midnight Green. And now, he'll get to experience it himself.
"I do remember the fans and the receptions that they got when they came back. I felt the love from the Philadelphia fans since the moment I left. I'm forever indebted to them and I think everyone knows how I feel about the fans of Philly," Ertz said.
When will that be? Could it be as soon as Monday night in Chicago?
"It's up to the coaches. Obviously, I'm not even on the active roster right now. So for me, it's about going out there and proving that I can make a difference in the game. If I can't make a difference in the game, then I shouldn't be out there," Ertz said. "So it's up to me to go out there and prove it every day that I can make a difference still, whether it's Year 1 or Year 14. And that's always been my mindset that I got to go out and practice hard and improve my craft every day. And if the coaches feel like I can make a difference, great, I'll be out there. If not, then I shouldn't be out there."
Head Coach Nick Sirianni said on Thursday that he's "excited to have Zach on the roster moving forward."
Quarterback Jalen Hurts added that "the history (Ertz) has here, the resume he has here, I know this is a big deal for him. I know this is where he's had his eyes and sights on. It's good to be competing with him again."
Ertz and Hurts were together through six games in the 2021 season, the quarterback's first year as a starter. Ertz marveled at how the young players in the locker room from that time, like Hurts, are now the established leaders.
"To come back here and see them embody what the City of Philadelphia is about, to see them take on the leadership roles that they have is special," Ertz said. "There is a tangible difference in these guys than when I left and there should be. They're the leaders of the locker room for a reason."
