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The Washington Commanders embodied their signature resilience versus the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship, but eventually they withered in the face of an overwhelming offensive onslaught and a relentless defense. When the game clock struck zero, the feel-good story of the 2024-25 NFL season walked away with a 55-23 loss. The team must now turn its attention to returning to the conference title game in 2025-26.
General manager Adam Peters has key questions to address this offseason, one of which involves veteran tight end Zach Ertz. The 34-year-old will enter free agency, but some fans are wondering if he is ready to retire after seeing his emotional exit. They received a resounding answer to that question after Sunday’s blowout defeat.
“I don’t know what the future holds, {but} I still want to play football next year,” Ertz told the media, per The 33rd Team. “So I just want to make that clear, that I’m not retiring. Just cuz I had so much fun this year. I feel rejuvenated, I feel young…. And I felt like I played good football this year. So for me, it’s just about figuring out everything going forward, and they know how I feel about this place.”
Zach Ertz has no intention of retiring
: @NickiJhabvala pic.twitter.com/Gsl9hrz322 https://t.co/2ZcIvfsyzJ
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) January 27, 2025
If his NFC Championship performance is any indication, Ertz still has something left in the tank. He totaled a team-high 11 receptions for 104 yards against his first NFL home and provided a steady red-zone presence in the second half of the campaign. The Super Bowl 52 champion and three-time Pro Bowler started all 17 games in the regular season for the first time in his career, which hints at a top-notch training regimen.
If Ertz can stay relatively fresh, he should carry plenty of appeal on the open market. The Commanders would be wise to at least consider bringing him back, though. The former second-round draft pick secured 66 catches on 91 targets for 654 yards and seven touchdowns. The “rejuvenation” he mentions could have a lot to do with the man who was throwing him the ball.
Runaway Rookie of the Year favorite and record-breaker Jayden Daniels displayed solid chemistry with his TE and relied on his good hands in key moments. Additionally, Zach Ertz lends valuable experience on the field and in the locker room. Peters will have to decide if he is willing to lose all of those attributes this March.
Whether or not he returns to the Commanders, No. 86 is determined to set foot on the gridiron again next season. Stay tuned.
The post Zach Ertz shuts down retirement speculation after Commanders’ NFC Championship loss appeared first on ClutchPoints.
