Follow Us
Though the Philadelphia Eagles dropped a game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, tight end Zach Ertz left as a winner. At least, individually.
In the loss, Ertz became the second-fastest tight end to ever reach 500 receptions, according to NFL Research. He did so in 102 games, just one game behind Kellen Winslow, who shined as a motion tight end in Don Corryel's historically remarkable “Air Coryell” offense with the San Diego Chargers.
While Winslow revolutionized the tight end position — introducing the concept of running an offense through one — Ertz is following in his footsteps. He is, without a doubt, the main receiving threat for the Eagles.
On Sunday, Ertz led the injury-riddled Eagles offense in targets with 14. In turn, he scored the team's only touchdown of the day while reeling in 12 receptions for 91 yards.
Throughout the 2019 season, Ertz has 67 receptions for 712 yards and three touchdowns. He is well on his way to his third-straight Pro-Bowl appearance.
Ertz is no-stranger to broken records. It's what he does. In 2018, he set three of them, one being an NFL one, the other two franchise marks. His 116 receptions on the season were the most ever by a tight end in NFL history. They were also the most for any player, no matter the position, in Eagles franchise history. On Nov. 11, he set the team's record for most receptions in a game (14).
Quietly, Ertz is emulating the career of the Hall of Famer in Winslow. Both are exceptional “move” tight ends who can carry the brunt of an offense. It shows in their respective numbers.