The Philadelphia Eagles have had a busy offseason when it comes to figuring out who will be catching passes from Jalen Hurts in 2026, and they likely aren’t done in this department just yet. Trade rumors are continuing to swirl around A.J. Brown, and yet, while he could be headed for the exit door in the next few months, it appears as if one of the team’s old friends, tight end Zach Ertz, is open to returning to town.
Ertz, who spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Eagles, is pushing off retirement, even though he just tore his ACL in 2025 while with the Washington Commanders. A free agent now, Ertz is contemplating his football future, and that includes a potential return to Philly, which could be looking to add another weapon to its offense.
Zach Ertz Open to Eagles Reunion in Free Agency
Ertz was selected by the Eagles in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft, and he’s turned himself into one of the best tight ends of his generation. During his time in Philly, Ertz earned three-straight Pro Bowl selections from 2017 to 2019, while also helping his squad pull off one of the most shocking Super Bowl victories over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII.
Midway through the 2021 campaign, Ertz was traded to the Arizona Cardinals, as the Eagles opted to turn over the tight end room to Dallas Goedert. While Ertz was initially solid for the Cardinals, his play fell off a cliff, and an injury-plagued 2023 campaign seemed to signal the end of the road for him. Instead, he reinvented himself with a pair of strong seasons for the Commanders.
Things came to a rough end in 2025, but Ertz is aggressively attacking his injury rehab process this offseason, and he has his sights set on playing in 2026. Who he will suit up for is unknown, but Ertz does seem open to returning to the Eagles, even though they recently restructured Goedert’s contract to ensure he will stick around for at least one more season.
“Ertz said he would love to end his career where it started and have a chance at the Eagles receptions record that he’s 11 shy from breaking,” Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. “He said he wants to retire in midnight green either way. Lurie said he would welcome the symbolic gesture as he has for other franchise greats who left the team.”
Should the Eagles Sign Zach Ertz?
GettyMINNEAPOLIS, MN – FEBRUARY 04: Zach Ertz #86 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates defeating the New England Patriots 41-33 in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Ertz is already a franchise legend for the Eagles, and while his time with the team didn’t exactly come to a great end, time heals all wounds. Philly appears to be bracing for Brown’s potential departure, as it has added Hollywood Brown, Dontayvion Wicks, and Elijah Moore to a wide receiver room that already features DeVonta Smith.
As noted above, Goedert is still in town, which reduces the need for Ertz. Grant Calcaterra has proven himself to be a solid No. 2 option when needed, so it seems like right now, there just isn’t much of a reason to bring Ertz back to town. Anything could happen in the NFL, and Ertz will almost certainly retire with the Eagles one way or another, but with the 2026 NFL Draft drawing near, a reunion doesn’t seem all that likely.
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