After a resurgent season with the Washington Commanders in 2024, tight end Zach Ertz followed it up with another solid season of contributions in 2025 despite a down year for Washington.
However, when quarterback Jayden Daniels returned in Week 14, Ertz, his safety blanket, was nowhere to be seen in the first half. He also suffered an injury in the second half.
What Happened to Washington Commanders TE Zach Ertz?
Coming off a huge outing against the Denver Broncos in Week 13, many hoped that Ertz would continue this momentum in Week 14 with the return of Daniels from an elbow dislocation. However, he’s struggled to get going for most of the matchup, with his presence hardly felt against the stout Vikings defense.
Ertz also suffered a devastating leg injury in the second half and was carted off the field. The veteran tight end was visibly in tears after his injury.
This is a dirty hit by Jay Ward (#24 Vikings) that has left Zach Ertz down on the field and needing assistance from the trainers to leave the field.
No place for this on the football field. Disgusting play. pic.twitter.com/6eQcVQvDd7
— Chad Ryan (@ChadwikoTWW) December 7, 2025
Ertz is already 35-years-old, and recovering from an injury, which looked like a potential season-ending one, will be tough for him.
While he was blanked in the first half, Daniels was finally able to target Ertz in the third quarter for an eleven-yard fourth-down conversion. It’s Ertz’s only catch and target of the day. This season, Ertz has caught 49 of 70 targets for 493 yards and four touchdowns. He has also fumbled once, which did not result in a turnover. However, this comes after his biggest game of the season, catching 10 of 13 targets for 106 yards.
Zach Ertz is helped off the field.
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/VlzB5GLHD1
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 7, 2025
Despite the plethora of injuries on Washington’s offense this season, the Commanders’ offense has fared well in PFSN’s Offense Impact metric, ranking 11th in the NFL with a score of 80.2. Backup quarterback Marcus Mariota has done well to keep the ball out of harm’s way most of the time despite Washington being in the midst of a seven-game losing streak.
While the Commanders’ offense has been playing well, Ertz is quite a ways down in PFSN’s TE Impact metric, ranking 36th in the league with a score of 73.4.
Things are going to be even harder for the Commanders, who find themselves in a 24-0 hole and now without Daniels, who seems to have re-injured his left arm the same week he returned. Mariota has replaced the second-year signal-caller as Washington’s season continues to reach new lows. A comeback against the Vikings seems highly unlikely given their struggles through three quarters.
With the season all but over, the Commanders will turn the page to next season. Getting their offensive players healthy while improving a porous defense will help them get back to the highs of the 2024 season.
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.Â
