Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings after suffering a gruesome leg injury in the third quarter.
Ertz’s right leg appeared to bend backwards when he was hit by Jay Ward while jumping for an attempted catch with just over two minutes remaining in the quarter.
He did not put any weight on the leg as he was helped off the field.
Ertz was visibly emotional as he was carted off the field, while Jayden Daniels could be seen on the broadcast throwing his helmet to the ground in apparent frustration.
Ertz, 35, is playing this season on a one-year contract. He has not confirmed whether he plans to return to the NFL in 2026.
His departure worsened what had already been a rough game for the Commanders, who were trailing 24-0 at the time of his injury.
The Commanders already lost Daniels earlier in the third quarter. The quarterback, who was playing in his first game back since dislocating his left elbow on Nov. 9, was designated as questionable to return after he took a hard hit that appeared to jar the same arm.
Ertz has been one of the Commanders’ most consistent players in what has so far been a rough season for Washington’s offense.
The tight end ranked second on the team with 49 catches and 493 receiving yards with four touchdowns through 12 games heading into Sunday.
He had recorded one catch for 11 yards before he was injured while attempting to catch a pass from backup quarterback Marcus Mariota.
The Commanders will be officially eliminated from the NFL playoff picture if they lose the Week 14 matchup with the Vikings.
With the postseason close to officially slipping away, the Commanders will need to turn their attention toward managing the long-term health of Daniels.
The extent of Ertz’s injury could meanwhile potentially influence his decision regarding whether to return for a 14th NFL season.
The setback comes the week after a historic Week 13 outing for Ertz. The tight end passed Shannon Sharpe for the fifth-most catches by any NFL tight end with career reception No. 816 in an overtime loss to the Denver Broncos last Sunday.
