Zach Ertz is 33. He's a three-time Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl champ. He's a husband, and a father to a newborn boy. He's done everything he set out to do over 11 years in the NFL. When he became a free agent this season after getting released by the Cardinals following a quad injury, he wasn't going to sign with the first team that called.
Ertz said Wednesday that he "talked to a lot of teams the past few weeks," but he "didn't want to rush into anything." Then he got calls from the Lions.
Detroit was looking for a proven tight end after seeing Sam LaPorta injure his knee in the regular season finale, then losing backups Brock Wright and James Mitchell to season-ending injuries in successive weeks. Ertz had a connection with the team's tight ends coach Steve Heiden, who coached Ertz for two seasons in Arizona, and he was already a fan of the Lions from afar. He was also drawn to Dan Campbell, a former tight end himself. Who isn't?
With the Lions a win away from the Super Bowl, and with his body "fully healthy" and "back to myself," Ertz decided the time was right. He signed with Detroit this week with hopes of being on the field in San Francisco on Sunday for the NFC Championship.
"My wife at home, a little boy at home, I wanted the right opportunity if I was going to leave at this point in the year," Ertz said. "Being here with these guys, learning from a head coach that was a tight end, was something I couldn't turn down."
Ertz arrives with all kinds of accomplishments on his resume. A few years ago, he was one of the best tight ends in the NFL. That's not the expectation now. Ertz just wants to do whatever he can to help Detroit win, and his wealth of playoff experience should help. He said he's "loved watching" the Lions as they've grown into a contender under Campbell. Now he can help them over the hump.
"Obviously it's a hungry, hungry group," said Ertz. "They play with a lot of confidence, a lot of swagger. They play football the right way, physically. They want to impose their will. Obviously an amazing O-line. Skill positions that are really good, Sam obviously has had a heckuva start to his career. So I've been a fan from afar."
On his immediate impressions of Campbell, Ertz said, "I love Dan. We had a 20-minute conversation yesterday. I'm excited to see him in front of the team, because he's a guy I've had a lot of respect for over the years. He's a guy that always gets his tight ends playing the right way, so I'm excited to be around him."
Campbell isn't making any promises about Ertz' status for Sunday. He said Wednesday that "we’re just going to gauge this (in practice) and see where we’re at."
"But look, he’s played," said Campbell. "Played at a high level. There’s things that he does well and it’s just a matter of, is this the week to use him?"
Ertz has no doubt that he can get up to speed by Sunday if the Lions need him to. He said there's a "long way to go before the game." A few days of practice and meetings is plenty of time for a vet like Ertz to digest a new offense.
"I'm confident I can get up to speed quickly from a mental standpoint. It's just how much they want to put on me," he said. "I've played in a lot of different offenses in my 11 years now."
Ertz had 27 catches for 187 yards and a touchdown in seven games for the Cardinals this season, a year after putting up 47 catches for 406 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games. He can still be a productive player, especially in the right role. His role in Detroit doesn't matter to him. What matters is that "this team is on a roll," said Ertz, "so I'm excited to be a part of it."
"I don't expect anything handed to me," he said. "I want to earn whatever reps I get. I'm not here to start any drama or cause any insubordination, per se. I'm just here to support the guys however I can, hopefully teach Sam or some of these young tight ends some things. And play to the best of my ability when my number's called."