Zach Ertz speaks to Eagles Wire about USAA Salute to Service Virtual Lounge
Zach Ertz has gone from just a kid out of Stanford to one of the most accomplished tight ends in NFL history. The former second-round pick has been a mainstay in the Eagles offense, caught the game-winner in Super Bowl 52, and during the Eagles’ Week 16 win over the Houston Texans in 2018, Ertz broke Jason Witten’s NFL record for most receptions by a tight end with 113.
Ertz is currently working his way back to the Eagles from an ankle injury but he recently sat down with The Eagles Wire to discuss his upcoming “Salute to Service Virtual Lounge” with USAA to give back to the military, veterans, and their families.
Ertz discusses what it means to be able to connect with Veterans to give back and to answer some of their burning questions during the stream. He also chats about ‘Team Protege’ his faith, and his career.
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1. Zach how are you feeling and how’s the ankle?
Things are going well, things are getting better every day. The ankle is getting better, it is progressing and I’m just looking forward to the process and the opportunity to get better. I’m hoping to get back out on the field sooner than later.
2. You speak openly and regularly about your faith. How has your faith guided you this year during the injury, the pandemic, and a rough 2020 as a whole?
My faith is obviously the foundation of who I am and I’d be lying if I said it was always easy, but my faith especially this year has allowed me to stay grounded. 2020 as a whole has been rough for a lot of people for a multitude of reasons. Because of my faith, I’ve never felt or been alone during this time. I also feel like even when the season wasn’t going great at the beginning of the year, I was grounded and I know that God has a plan for me and it’s going to be a great plan. So my faith has been the key to me during this ankle injury, during this year, and really since I gave my life over to Christ. My faith is the biggest thing in my life to keep me ground.
3. You started a virtual mentoring program for young athletes called ‘Team Protege’, Can you give me and our readers some insight on where the idea originated from.
During the offseason, I sat in on a session from a professor at the Stanford Schoool of Business and he invited me to kind of just virtually sit in on a class, so I was 3,000 miles away from Palo Alto just learning virtually and I felt like well why can’t I do this for the young tight end’s who are eager to learn. I took the time to really think about it and came up with ‘ Team Protege’ and took the time to look around the country to help inspire the next great tight end. It allows young guys to learn from pros and it was something that just came from a play on words I guess. I think we got through seven virtual coaching sessions. I’m excited to help continue to coach kids up.
4. What has been the response of some of those young guys who get to have you in a role that former 49ers tight end Brent Jones played in your life.
The kids love it. Brent was obviously a crucial part of my development and I think they love watching themselves getting coached, I think they take the coaching exceptionally seriously, and it’s mutually beneficial. I love doing it and it’s become a way for me to give back. It’s similar to what ‘USAA’ has allowed me to do with the virtual lounge. On Tuesday, November 17 at 7:00 at Salutetoservice.com I’ll be holding a virtual chalk talk with servicemen and women. I’m really excited about that virtual lounge. It’s an opportunity for me to connect with them and with everything being virtual, I’m grateful to USAA to allow this opportunity at this time.
5. You’ve dabbled in some business classes and you have your hands in a lot of things outside of football. After your playing days are over, are you looking more at getting into coaching or more of the CEO side of the business?
I definitely have thought about it and I went to Stanford because my mom initially told me that I’m not playing in the NFL and she wanted me to get a great degree. I majored in industrial engineering at Stanford with a focus on management science but I also love the game of football and I feel like whatever God wants for me I’m going to follow that. I don’t know exactly what that is yet. Hopefully, it’ll be in a few years because I feel like I have a lot of good football left in me. My love for the game has been high as it’s ever been. Even with this ankle injury, I’m just ready to get back on the field with my guys. I don’t know what the plan is after football but I believe it’ll be a great one.
We asked Ertz about the status of his ankle, and he stated that he was getting better each day and taking things day by day. shortly after our interview, Ertz had his 21-day practice window opened by the Eagles and he could return as early as Sunday at the Browns.
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