Zach Ertz Bio
Zachary Adam Ertz is an American professional football tight end for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Stanford Cardinal, earning unanimous All-American honors in 2012 before being selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft. Ertz played nine seasons with the Eagles, making three Pro Bowls and winning Super Bowl LII with them. He holds the NFL record for most receptions in a season by a tight end and has also been a member of the Arizona Cardinals and Detroit Lions. His wife Julie is a former player for the U.S. national soccer team.
Early Life and Background
Born in Orange, California, Zach Ertz grew up as the oldest of four children. His father played for the Lehigh University football team from 1981 to 1984. Ertz played high school football and basketball at Monte Vista High School in Danville, California. As a senior, he had 56 receptions, 756 receiving yards, and 14 receiving touchdowns for the football team and was named to the All-East Bay Athletic League first team. Ertz attended Stanford University, where he played football for the Cardinal from 2009 to 2012. He redshirted the 2009 season. In 2010, he played 13 games and had 16 catches for 190 yards and five touchdowns. He had two receptions, including a touchdown, in the Orange Bowl against Virginia Tech that year. Ertz had 27 receptions, 343 receiving yards, and four receiving touchdowns in 2011, despite missing three games due to a knee injury. In the Fiesta Bowl, he had four catches and one touchdown against Oklahoma State. The following season, as a junior, Ertz had 69 catches, 898 receiving yards, and six touchdowns. He had three catches for 61 yards in the Rose Bowl. His 898 receiving yards was the most by an FBS tight end that season. He was a unanimous All-American, a finalist for the Mackey Award, and an All-Pac-12 first team selection.
Path to American Football
After the 2012 season, Ertz announced that he would enter the NFL draft. On January 8, 2013, he announced his decision to forgo his senior season and enter the 2013 NFL Draft. He was ranked as the second best tight end prospect in the draft by ESPN Scouts Inc. He was one of 19 tight ends to attend the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana. He completed all of the combine and positional drills and finished second in the bench press, third in the three-cone drill, and finished ninth among all tight ends in the 40-yard dash. On March 24, 2013, Ertz attended Stanford’s pro day and opted to perform some of the drills again in an attempt to shorten some of his times and increase his vertical and broad jump. He successfully posted better numbers in the 40-yard dash and other drills. At the conclusion of the pre-draft process, Ertz was projected to be a late first round pick or second round pick in the draft by NFL draft experts and scouts. The Philadelphia Eagles selected Ertz in the second round (35th overall) of the 2013 NFL draft. He was the second tight end drafted behind Notre Dame’s Tyler Eifert, but ahead of future Pro Bowlers Travis Kelce and Jordan Reed.
Zach Ertz Career
Early Career (2013–2015)
The Philadelphia Eagles signed Zach Ertz to a four-year, $5.37 million contract that included $3.65 million guaranteed and a signing bonus of $2.29 million. He made his professional regular season debut in the Philadelphia Eagles’ season-opener at the Washington Redskins and made his first career reception on an 11-yard pass by Michael Vick. In Week 9, he made five receptions for 42 yards and caught his first career touchdown during a victory at the Oakland Raiders. He scored his first career touchdown on a 15-yard pass from quarterback Nick Foles. In 2014, Ertz caught a career-high 15 receptions for 115 receiving yards during a loss at the Washington Redskins. He finished his second season with 58 receptions for 702 yards and three touchdowns. In 2015, he finished with 75 receptions for 853 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 15 games.
Breakthrough (2016–2019)
In January 2016, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Ertz to a five-year, $42.5 million contract extension. He finished the 2016 season with 78 receptions for 816 receiving yards and four touchdowns. In 2017, he caught two passes for 24 yards before exiting a game with a concussion. He finished the 2017 season with 74 receptions for 824 receiving yards and a career-high eight touchdowns. On February 4, 2018, Ertz started in Super Bowl LII and caught seven passes for 67 yards and a touchdown, helping the Eagles secure their first Super Bowl victory in franchise history. In 2018, he ended the season with 116 receptions, 1,163 yards, and eight touchdowns, setting the NFL record for most receptions by a tight end in a season. He was named to the Pro Bowl for his performance in both 2018 and 2019.
Notable Works and Milestones
Zach Ertz is known for his record-setting performances and contributions to the Philadelphia Eagles, particularly during their Super Bowl LII victory. He has been recognized with multiple Pro Bowl selections and holds the record for most receptions in a season by a tight end.
Zach Ertz Award Nominations
Throughout his career, Zach Ertz has received multiple nominations for prestigious awards, including Pro Bowl selections in 2017, 2018, and 2019, showcasing his consistent performance and impact on the field.
Zach Ertz Awards Won
Zach Ertz has won several notable awards, including the Super Bowl champion title in Super Bowl LII, the Ozzie Newsome Award in 2012, and being named a unanimous All-American in the same year.
Zach Ertz Family
Zach Ertz is married to Julie Johnston, a former player for the U.S. national soccer team. The couple welcomed their first child, a son named Madden, in 2022, and they welcomed twin sons, Kace and Kyren, in 2024.
Personal Life
Ertz is a Christian. He proposed to Julie Johnston on February 26, 2016, at Klein Field, the Stanford University baseball stadium where they first met. They married on March 26, 2017, in Goleta, California. The couple was featured in ESPN’s The Body Issue magazine in 2017.
