Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz reacts after a catch against the Denver Broncos. Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Why Commanders will absolutely miss Zach Ertz on offense

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Dec 9, 2025 6:00 PM ET

The Washington Commanders are going back to the drawing board after starting tight end Zach Ertz tore his ACL in the team's Week 14 loss against the Minnesota Vikings.

Commanders' head coach Dan Quinn spoke about Ertz's value to the team and why the team will miss him on the field.

"He was actually the first person, you know, that [General Manager] Adam [Peters] signed here and so he has brought a lot and I think like the habits that's what stuck out to me more than anything of doing the extra, not getting bored with the details, whether it was getting the jugs, footwork, the technique part of it," Quinn said.

"So, there was a reason why this type of success took place. It was over and over of doing the things and not getting bored doing them. So those are the type of elite habits when you're putting a program together, you're like, ‘okay, that's what it looks like and I want to point that out whenever I can’. So, it's been significant for us for sure, the production on the field."

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Ertz injury forces Commanders to shake things up

In the short term, the Commanders will have John Bates, Colson Yankoff, and Ben Sinnott as their tight ends for the final four games of the season.

In the grand scheme of things, the Commanders will likely be looking for a tight end to replace Ertz, either in free agency or the draft. Ertz just turned 35 years old, and a torn ACL recovery timeline would likely not have him ready at the start of next season. This means Ertz's time with the Commanders, and possibly the NFL, could be over.

Ertz will be on the sidelines when the Commanders play their Week 15 game against the New York Giants. Kickoff is scheduled for Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.