Zach Ertz Signs with Eagles Practice Squad, Could Play Monday Night vs. Bears After Goedert Injury

Zach Ertz is coming home. The three-time Pro Bowl tight end is signing with the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad, a stunning reunion that could see him suit up in midnight green as soon as Monday night against the Chicago Bears. The move comes after starter Dallas Goedert went down with a sprained MCL in Sunday’s win over the Tennessee Titans, leaving Philadelphia’s tight end room suddenly thin and searching for answers just two weeks into the season.

Ertz, 35, spent the first seven seasons of his career in Philadelphia from 2013 to 2021, forming one of the most productive quarterback-tight end connections in franchise history and helping deliver the Eagles’ first Super Bowl title. He later played three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals and two with the Washington Commanders before a Week 14 injury last season derailed his 2025 campaign. Now, less than a year removed from a torn ACL, he’s positioned to make an improbable comeback in the city where his legacy was built.

The Injury That Nearly Ended It

Ertz tore his ACL during Washington’s Week 14 game against the Minnesota Vikings last season, a brutal blow that closed the book on a campaign in which he’d posted 50 receptions for 504 yards and four touchdowns. At the time, there were real questions about whether the veteran had played his last down. But Ertz pushed through rehab, was cleared for full football activities in July, and has now cleared the critical nine-month postoperative benchmark – a recovery timeline that puts him well ahead of typical in-season addition. Fans tracking the matchup can see just how quickly this depth chart is shifting.

The Eagles didn’t hesitate once Goedert’s MCL sprain was confirmed. Goedert, who is expected to miss several weeks, had been off to a strong start in 2025, hauling in five receptions for 81 yards and two touchdowns across the team’s first six quarters of football. Losing him leaves backups Eli Stowers and Grant Calcaterra as the only healthy scholarship options at the position, and both have battled injuries of their own – opening the door for a familiar face to step back into the huddle.

A Chance at History on Monday Night

If Ertz is elevated from the practice squad in time for Monday’s ESPN broadcast, it would mark his first appearance in an Eagles uniform since October 14, 2021 – a nearly five-year gap bridged by a torn ACL, two other franchises, and a return nobody quite saw coming. The Eagles have reportedly been open to a reunion since late August, and with Sean Mannion now at quarterback and the passing game needing every reliable target it can get, the front office moved fast to bring back a proven chain-mover rather than gamble on an unproven option.

There’s also a franchise record hanging in the balance. Ertz enters this stretch just 11 receptions shy of Harold Carmichael’s franchise mark of 589 catches, a number that once looked untouchable for a player no longer on the roster. Every target he sees down the stretch chips away at a milestone that would cement his standing among the greatest pass-catchers in Eagles history, regardless of how the rest of his return unfolds. Bettors tracking the Eagles’ path through the season can also check the latest Pennsylvania sportsbooks options for legal ways to follow along.

The timing lines up with a Bears team dealing with its own uncertainty. Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams is considered week-to-week and appears unlikely to suit up for Monday’s game, adding another layer of unpredictability to a matchup that already features one of the more unlikely storylines of the NFL season. For bettors weighing how Philadelphia’s offense might look with a new – yet strangely familiar – weapon in the fold, checking a DraftKings Promo Code before kickoff could be worth the attention.

What Comes Next

Nothing is guaranteed yet. Ertz still needs to sign, practice, and prove to the coaching staff that his legs are under him before an active-roster elevation becomes official. But the momentum is clearly pointing toward a Monday night cameo, and for a fan base that watched him haul in the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl LII, the emotional weight of a comeback in green cannot be overstated.

Whether Ertz plays a limited role as a red-zone chain-mover or ends up thrust into a larger workload depending on how Stowers and Calcaterra progress, his signing instantly changes the complexion of Philadelphia’s tight end room for the foreseeable future. Goedert’s timeline for return remains the biggest swing factor, but for at least the next few weeks, one of the most beloved players in recent Eagles history is back where it all started.