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Commanders QB Marcus Mariota Comforted TE Zach Ertz Before He Was Carted Off

Ertz suffered a low and hard hit in the third quarter and had to be helped off the field.

Madison Williams

Commanders tight end Zach Ertz was carted off following a hard hit.
Commanders tight end Zach Ertz was carted off following a hard hit. / ESPN/Screengrab
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The Commanders had two unfortunate injuries occur during Sunday’s contest vs. the Vikings.

First, quarterback Jayden Daniels appeared to re-injure his elbow after he had just missed three games with a dislocated elbow. He left Sunday's game and was questionable to return.

Then, in the third quarter, tight end Zach Ertz was carted off to the locker room after needing assistance from medical staff to get off the field. Vikings safety Jay Ward hit Ertz low under his right knee that tossed him to the ground while trying to catch a pass from quarterback Marcus Mariota.

Understandably, Ertz was very emotional while sitting on the cart before heading to the locker room. Mariota came over to the cart to comfort the tight end—what a sweet act in a horrible moment.

Ertz’s official diagnosis hasn’t been announced, but the way Fox announcers were talking, there is a possibility that Ertz’s 2025 season is over. He was quickly ruled out for the remainder on Sunday's game.

Through 13 games in Washington this season, Ertz has caught 49 passes for 493 yards and four touchdowns.

Dan Quinn provides unfortunate update on Ertz after game

After the game, in which Washington lost 31–0, coach Dan Quinn shared that the initial concern regarding Ertz’s injury is that it’s ACL related.

“The early signals aren’t good,” Quinn shared.

The Commanders will receive an official diagnosis after Ertz undergoes further testing, likely on Monday.

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Madison Williams
MADISON WILLIAMS

Madison Williams is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where she specializes in tennis but covers a wide range of sports from a national perspective. Before joining SI in 2022, Williams worked at The Sporting News. Having graduated from Augustana College, she completed a master’s in sports media at Northwestern University. She is a dog mom and an avid reader.

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