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Commanders Announce Unfortunate Zach Ertz News on Monday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Kevin Matthew Borba | Last updated Dec 8, 2025 4:15 PM ET

Tight End Zach Ertz had been one of the lone bright spots for a Washington Commanders (3-10) team that had Super Bowl aspirations to start the year, but has since turned into one of the worst teams in the league.

Just one year after securing the franchise's first playoff win since 2006, the Commanders have been riddled with injuries throughout the season. Notable players such as quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receiver Terry McLaurin have missed extensive time due to injuries, and the bug bit again on Sunday.

In the team's 31-0 Week 14 loss, Ertz went down with what appeared to be a right knee injury with 2:10 left in the third quarter after leaping for a pass on 2nd-and-11 and getting by safety Jay Ward.

The Commanders immediately feared that Ertz's injury was serious, and head coach Dan Quinn confirmed as much on Monday as announced by the team on X.

HC Dan Quinn confirmed that TE Zach Ertz suffered a season-ending injury in yesterday’s game

Wishing 86 a healthy recovery pic.twitter.com/PX8NZYAj8c
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) December 8, 2025

Ertz, 35, had racked up 50 catches for 504 yards and four touchdowns this season before the injury, and possibly could have played his way into one final large contract, as he is on a one-year deal this season.

The Commanders will need to lean on John Bates at tight end to fill some of the void left by Ertz, but considering he has eight catches for 71 yards, it may be a huge ask.

Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz (86) warms up before a game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 28, 2025.Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

This marked Ertz's second season with the Commanders, as he spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles before they traded him to the Arizona Cardinals, where he spent the next three seasons.

It's unclear how much Ertz has left in the tank, and this injury certainly won't make determining that any easier. The Commanders will take on the New York Giants (2-11) on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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