It’s been quite some time since tight end Zach Ertz was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles with the 35th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. Now, with his third team in 13 seasons, Ertz has found some new life with the Washington Commanders after some down years with the Arizona Cardinals.
A reliable set of hands and a frequent contributor to the Commanders’ offense, the veteran tight end set an impressive career mark on Monday Night Football against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8 of the 2025 NFL season.
Zach Ertz Reaches Historic Mark on Monday Night Football
While the Commanders are without second-year QB Jayden Daniels, backup Marcus Mariota has filled in great, moving the offense up and down the field despite a fluke interception. As always, Ertz has established his presence early with three catches for 11 yards through the first quarter of the Monday Night Football matchup.
His second reception would set a historic mark, as the veteran tight end caught his 800th career reception. The Commanders’ PR account posted on X, “With that last reception, TE Zach Ertz has become the sixth tight end in NFL history with 800 career receptions. He joins Tony Gonzalez, Jason Witten, Travis Kelce, Antonio Gates, and Shannon Sharpe.”
With that last reception, TE Zach Ertz has become the sixth tight end in NFL history with 800 career receptions. He joins Tony Gonzalez, Jason Witten, Travis Kelce, Antonio Gates and Shannon Sharpe.
— Washington Commanders PR (@Wash_PR) October 28, 2025
Through seven games in 2025, Ertz has caught 23 of 34 targets for 229 yards and four touchdowns. He leads the team in touchdowns while coming in behind Deebo Samuel Sr. as the team’s top receiver in yardage. Heading into Week 8, he was the 55th-ranked tight end in the league based on PFSN’s Tight End Impact metric.
MORE: What Happened to Jayden Daniels? A Look at the Commanders QB’s Injury That Sidelined Him in Week 8
After several solid seasons with the Eagles, Ertz’s production dipped in 2022 and 2023, primarily due to injuries. However, he bounced back in 2024, playing a full season for the Commanders, hauling in 66 receptions for 654 yards and seven touchdowns. He quickly became a favorite target for Daniels during his rookie campaign.
The catch didn’t come without controversy, though. Ertz’s 800th reception came on fourth down, where it appeared the veteran had done enough to earn the line to gain. However, after a virtual measurement, it was determined that he was short of the line to gain.
Refs rule the Commanders short of the 1st down pic.twitter.com/95uQTzyvnA
— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) October 28, 2025
No matter who is under center, it seems clear that offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and the Commanders are going to find ways to get Ertz the ball as part of the offensive game plan.
