Zach Ertz Exclusive: Kliff Kingsbury and I Were ‘Rejuvenated’ With Commanders After Cardinals Woes

Zach Ertz and Kliff Kingsbury each had a lot to prove heading into 2024.

Ertz was a 33-year-old tight end fighting the notion that an ACL tear would end his decorated career.

Kingsbury had to show that his supposed schematic brilliance would work in the NFL after four uneven years with the Cardinals.

The duo signed on together with the Commanders — Kingsbury in February and Ertz in March — confident that they would silence the critics.

And indeed, the only noise they heard in Washington this year was thunderous applause.

“When I had the ACL injury (in 2022 with the Cardinals), obviously I was devastated,” Ertz told me in an exclusive interview. “The last two years in Arizona were extremely tough because of it. I probably came back a little too early the following year, and then there was just so much turnover, from the coaching staff, the quarterback.

“I didn’t feel like I was able to put my best stuff on film, so after that year in Arizona, I really just wanted the opportunity to show people that I was still the same guy. That doubt never crept in that I couldn’t still perform at a high level. I just wanted to be around people that believed in me and would give me the opportunity.”

Kingsbury pursued his former tight end, and the Commanders signed Ertz to a one-year, $3 million deal.

Ertz may not have played at the Pro Bowl level of his prime, but he proved to be great value, finishing with 66 catches for 654 yards and seven touchdowns in 17 games. 

The Commanders made a surprising run to the NFC Championship game, and Ertz had 11 catches for 104 yards in the finale against Philadelphia.

“When Washington with Kliff came up, it was a no-brainer for me,” Ertz said. “Kliff is a guy who I’ve always loved throughout my career. He’s one of the best offensive minds that I’ve been around. For me, to have the opportunity to go with him, I knew if I stayed healthy the production was going to be there.”

Washington was the Cinderella of the NFL in 2025, improving its win total by eight and finishing top-5 in the NFL with an average of 28.5 points per game.

Kingsbury was the architect of the offensive turnaround, helping Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels become a difference-maker from the outset.

“I was pumped for him,” Ertz said. “I got to Arizona with him toward the end of the tenure, so I saw things when they were already coming apart at the seams. I knew Kliff was a phenomenal coach. He got blamed for a lot of things he shouldn’t have gotten blamed for.”

Ertz: Kingsbury ‘Loved Coming To Work’ Again With Commanders

The Cardinals’ 2022 season was a mess, from multiple off-field incidents involving coaches to a midseason leave of absence for then-GM Steve Keim.

Quarterback Kyler Murray tore his ACL in mid-December and the Cardinals limped to a 4-13 finish, which got Kingsbury fired. 

Ertz attested to the turbulence of it all, as Kingsbury looked noticeably worn down by the end of his stint in Arizona before becoming refreshed with Washington.

“He was a new guy that I saw this year,” Ertz said. “He was a guy that loved coming to work every day. He was so intentional with the quarterbacks, running their individual drills. You could tell how much he loved working with the (Commanders) quarterbacks every day. It was a really good group of guys, and Kliff was renewed, I think. The year away re-lit his fire.”

Ertz said the move to Washington similarly re-energized him.

“I loved my time (with the Commanders), being able to go to work every day rejuvenated,” Ertz said. “Being around people that truly loved the process was so refreshing to me, because that’s how I feel like I approach the game. So for me, I can’t say enough good things about the culture there. What Dan Quinn built, what Kliff brought in. There are just so many good people. Adam Peters, the GM. It was so much fun for me to be there every day.”

Ertz is 34 now but has no plans to retire. He made it plain to the Commanders’ organization that he wants to return if they will have him back.

“They know how I feel about it,” Ertz said. “I made it very clear when we talked after the season. They have a lot of decisions to make. I understand the business side. I’ve kind of been through every stage of the business. They know how I feel, and hopefully we can get something done.”

Kingsbury resisted head coaching overtures this offseason and will return to the Commanders, so the duo will remain together if Ertz is re-signed.

“I never doubted his capability as a coach, as an offensive mind,” Ertz said. “I know there were a lot of people that doubted, but as a guy who saw him in Arizona at the tail end, there was no doubt what he was going to do in Washington.”

Ertz Details Partnership With Russell Stover Chocolates

Ertz was speaking in partnership with Russell Stover chocolates, which is running a ‘Tackle Valentine’s Day’ sweepstakes and giving away a three-day, two-night trip for two to the Big Game in Santa Clara, California from February 7–9, 2026.

Consumers can enter until February 28, 2025 at www.RussellStover.com/Valentines.

“Russell Stover for us is such a natural partnership,” said Ertz, who promoted the partnership alongside his wife, Julie, a former U.S. women’s soccer star. “For us, when you think about Valentine’s Day, you think about the Russell Stover heart-shaped box. It’s a gift I have given many times over the years, whether we are in person or doing it long-distance. For us, it’s truly a natural fit.”