Has a Former Stanford Football Legend Played His Final NFL Snap with Commanders?

Zach Ertz has had a great career, but will a torn ACL end his storied career?

Dec 7, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz (86) makes a catch against the Minnesota Vikings during the second half at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Football is a brutal sport. Each and every year sees players suffer injuries that are severe enough to keep them out for an entire season, with 2025 being no exception. Since the start of the season, several notable players have gotten injured and are now facing lengthy rehabs to ensure that they can return to play as quickly as possible. Injuries are never fun, but they unfortunately are a part of the game.

And now we can add former Stanford legend Zach Ertz to the list of injured superstars from the 2025 season. In the Washington Commanders Week 14 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, a 31-0 defeat, Ertz suffered a severe lower body injury late in the third quarter when he was going up to make a catch. As he was in the air, he was hit awkwardly by Vikings' safety, Jay Ward.

As he was hit coming down, his leg appeared to be mangled. On the Monday afternoon after the game, it was confirmed that Ertz tore his ACL ending Ertz's 2025 season. The Stanford legend will finish with 50 catches for 504 yards and four touchdowns this season.

However, being 35 years old and in his 13th season, the question now becomes whether or not Ertz has played his final snap in the NFL.

Despite being one of the more accomplished tight ends to ever play the game, having three Pro Bowl selections and a Super Bowl title to his name, Ertz has dealt with numerous injuries in his career and the severity of this latest one will more likely than not force Ertz to endure a grueling rehab process.

If this is the end for Ertz though, what a career it has been. Earning his Super Bowl title, and with his Pro Bowl trips with the Philadelphia Eagles, Ertz left the Eagles as arguably the franchise's best tight end. But after the Eagles hired Nick Sirianni as the head coach and started to build to what they are now, the franchise traded Ertz midway through the 2021 season.

After he was traded, speculation arose as to whether or not his career was reaching its end—especially considering how he was never able to fully reach that same high level of play he was accustomed to with the Arizona Cardinals.

But after two and a half seasons in Arizona, Ertz joined the Commanders ahead of the 2024 season and not only proved that he still had plenty left in the tank, but he also was pivotal in helping quarterback Jayden Daniels develop into a franchise quarterback for the franchise.

On top of helping guide the Commanders to their first appearance in the NFC title game since 1991, Ertz also played in every single game for the first time since 2021—finishing with 66 catches for 654 yards and seven touchdowns.

Now, the Commanders hope that Ertz can make a full recovery and continue to be the leader for the team that he has been. But in the interim, Washington will rely John Bates, Ben Sinnot and Colson Yankoff to fill the void at tight end.

If this is the end for Ertz though, it will be very interesting to see what his next career move is, and if a potential return to Stanford to serve on new head coach Tavita Pritchard's staff is in the cards.