Coverage spread: 2 sources — 2 unrated
Lean ratings via AllSides / Media Bias-Fact-Check. How this works.
Where they agree
- Zach Ertz, 35, has been cleared by doctors for all football activities.
- He tore the ACL in his right knee on Dec. 7 in a game against the Vikings while playing for the Commanders.
- He is currently a free agent and has been working out at Stanford with former college quarterback Andrew Luck.
- Before the injury, he had 50 catches, 504 yards and four touchdowns in his 13th NFL season.
- NBC Sports includes Ertz’s April comment that he didn’t want the ACL tear to be the final chapter of his career, giving emotional context Yahoo’s listing lacks.
- NBC Sports details his full team history (Eagles, Cardinals, Lions stint) beyond just the Commanders, while other coverage offers no article text to compare.
- Yahoo Sports provides only a headline/link with no article text, limiting independent detail beyond the NBC Sports account.
Free agent tight end Zach Ertz, 35, has been cleared for football activities after tearing his ACL last December with the Commanders.
Zach Ertz, a 35-year-old free agent tight end, has been medically cleared for all football activities after tearing the ACL in his right knee last December, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The clearance opens the door for Ertz to sign with a team as he tries to extend his 13-year NFL career.
What happened to Ertz’s knee and when?
Ertz tore the ACL in his right knee during a Dec. 7 game against the Minnesota Vikings while playing for the Washington Commanders. The injury cut short what had otherwise been a productive 13th NFL season for him: 50 catches for 504 yards and four touchdowns before he went down.
Is he actually ready to play again?
Doctors have now cleared him for all football activities, per Schefter’s report, which is the medical green light teams look for before signing an injured veteran. Ertz has been training at Stanford, working out with Andrew Luck, his former college quarterback, as he builds back toward game readiness. There’s no word yet on a specific team pursuing him or a timeline for a signing.
Why does this matter for his career?
Ertz said in April that he didn’t want a torn ACL to be the way his career ends, and this clearance keeps that possibility alive. Over his career he’s played for the Eagles, Cardinals and Commanders, and spent time with the Lions as well. At 35 and coming off a serious knee injury, his path back to an NFL roster will likely depend on a team’s tight end needs and how convincingly he shows he’s regained his physical form in workouts.
What’s next?
With medical clearance in hand, the next step is finding a team willing to sign him, likely as a depth or veteran presence at tight end. No contract or visit has been reported yet, so it remains a wait to see which franchise, if any, moves to add him.
Sources
Featured photo: Brian Allen for Voice of America via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)