Tests confirmed that Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz tore his ACL in Sunday's loss to the Minnesota Vikings, head coach Dan Quinn announced on Monday.
Ertz suffered what appeared at the time to be a serious knee injury in the second half when he was hit by Vikings safety Jay Ward while attempting to catch a pass from backup quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Ertz had to be helped to the sideline and then was carted to the visitor's locker room at U.S. Bank Stadium before he was ruled out for the remainder of the game.
Quinn did not paint an optimistic picture regarding Ertz's status, telling reporters after the loss that there was concern for the tight end's ACL. Monday's tests confirmed the initial fear.
"Tough news," Quinn said on Monday. "He has meant a lot to our team both on and off the field."
Quinn also gave an update on Jayden Daniels' status after he left Sunday's loss early after aggravating a left elbow injury that had sidelined him the previous three games. Quinn said on Monday that tests showed that there's no long-term concern with Daniels' elbow and that they'll monitor how the week progresses before determining if Daniels can play Week 15 against the Giants.
Ertz, 35, was in the midst of his second season in Washington, where he has emerged as a veteran leader and one of Daniels' most trusted targets. Ertz was instrumental last year during the Commanders' turnaround to the conference title game, catching 66 passes for 654 yards and seven touchdowns, and he re-signed with D.C. this past offseason on a one-year deal.
It's been a trying season for the 3-10 Commanders, but Ertz had maintained the consistency he's flashed across 13-year career with 50 receptions for 504 yards with four TDs.
Given Ertz's age and the severity of his injury, it's fair to wonder if he's played his last down in the NFL. If that is indeed the case, Ertz will go down as one of the most prolific tight ends in league history (his 825 career receptions are No. 5 all-time among tight ends).
The Philadelphia Eagles selected Ertz in the second round of the 2013 draft out of Stanford and he quickly emerged as one of the league's best at his position, culminating in a stretch of three consecutive Pro Bowls from 2017 to 2019 with Philly that coincided with the franchise's first Super Bowl title in 2017.
