The Detroit Lions have captivated NFL audiences with their underdog story — going from longtime bottom-dwellers in the NFC North to one game away from the Super Bowl.
But for a team lacking championship experience, the Lions made sure they added some expertise from someone who has won a ring before.
Detailing Why Lions Added Zach Ertz
Detroit made the bold move to sign free agent TE Zach Ertz to the practice squad Monday — a move made six days in advance of the NFC Championship game. Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network was the first to report.
According to the NFL insider, the Lions made this immediate move to not only add some championship expertise but also to fill a sudden void with the former Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals tight end.
“Arizona [now corrected to ‘Detroit’ in an updated post] lost No. 2 tight end Brock Wright to a forearm injury Sunday. Now they add Ertz, who reunites with his former TEs coach from Arizona, Steve Heiden, and should be able to get up to speed quickly,” Pelissero shared on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Detroit lost No. 2 tight end Brock Wright to a forearm injury Sunday. Now they add Ertz, who reunites with his former TEs coach from Arizona, Steve Heiden, and should be able to get up to speed quickly. https://t.co/VIyTJQ9Okw
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 22, 2024
Ertz never won the Super Bowl with the Cardinals, but the 33-year-old tight end is no stranger to winning it all.
Looking Back at Ertz’s Last Super Bowl Run
Ertz was an integral member of the first Super Bowl-winning run in Philadelphia’s history.
During the 2017 campaign, Ertz teamed with veteran center and captain Jason Kelce while catching passes from two different passers: Carson Wentz and Nick Foles. He went on to catch 74 passes for 824 yards and scored a then-personal-best eight touchdowns for the Eagles.
Of course, he’s most revered by Eagle fans for hauling in the final touchdown of Super Bowl LII, when Foles hit him on an 11-yard strike to take the 38-33 lead with 2:21 left to play.
Ertz finished second on the Eagles that night in Minneapolis with seven catches. He tallied 67 receiving yards and caught one of three touchdowns from the Super Bowl MVP, Foles.
Where Was Ertz Recently? Tight End’s 2023 Production
Ertz managed to squeeze in seven starts with the Cardinals this past regular season. He joined the rest of his Arizona teammates in transitioning to new HC Jonathan Gannon, who came over from Ertz’s former team, the Eagles.
But was Ertz still a focal point of the Cards’ offensive attack?
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The veteran tight end was seldom used in AZ this year. Here’s a closer look at his 2023 production and usage:
- Ertz took the field for 295 total offensive snaps, according to Pro Football Reference, which accounted for a 64% usage rate in the offense.
- He was a key target early on in the new regime, producing six catches in three of the first four games of the year. He was targeted 10 times in two of those games.
- His targets decreased, however, by Oct. 8. He saw the football come his way no more than five times in each of the next three games. The pass catcher didn’t surpass three receptions.
Ertz eventually endured a quadriceps injury and went on injured reserve on Oct. 24. He requested to be released, and Arizona granted his wish on Nov. 30. He ended his ’23 season with 27 catches for 187 yards and one score.
Now, he gets to be in a TE room with fast-rising star Sam LaPorta while also helping add some depth following Brock Wright’s injury. He’ll bring some needed expertise to a team aiming to win its first-ever conference title of the Super Bowl era and potentially a Lombardi Trophy.
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