Key Takeaways
- Zach Ertz had a resurgent season in 2024 as the Washington Commanders made a Cinderella run to the NFC Championship.
- The Commanders were led by rookie QB Jayden Daniels, who was nothing short of outstanding.
- Ertz sat down with RG to discuss Daniels' development, the team's plan to beat the Eagles, and Washington's new-look offense with Deebo Samuel.
Jayden Daniels #5 of the Washington Commanders celebrates with Zach Ertz #86 (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
Zach Ertz had a resurgent season in 2024 with the Washington Commanders.
The three-time Pro Bowl tight end experienced his most prolific season since his 2019 campaign with the Philadelphia Eagles, posting 66 receptions for 654 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. He ranked second across the board in all three major receiving categories for the Commanders, only behind Terry McLaurin.
A big key to that success was not only Ertz and the team surrounding him, but the play of Jayden Daniels. Daniels turned in one of the greatest rookie seasons of all time, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year, setting the rookie rushing record for a quarterback (822 yards) while leading the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game.
It was the Commanders' first appearance in the conference championship game since the 1991 season, when they last won the Super Bowl.
"He's always had confidence in himself," says Ertz in a one-on-one interview with RG of what he's seen from Daniels since he was drafted. "His confidence is from how he approaches the game. His confidence is from how hard he works, how he studies film, how he talks about the game with his teammates."
Expectations will be high for Daniels this season as he looks to replicate the success he had from his rookie campaign. That won't be easy as the Commanders are in the same division as the defending Super Bowl champs, the Eagles, and a Dallas Cowboys squad that will be hungry to turn things around after a 7-10 season.
However, the Commanders return essentially the same core from last season, and one shouldn't be surprised if they succeed again, considering it was their first season under Daniels and head coach Dan Quinn. The difference is, they will be the hunted rather than the hunters this upcoming season.
"Now he's got a full year, year-plus under his belt as a Commander," says Ertz of Daniels. "Just so much more comfortable. When you go out on the practice field, there's no surprise what's going to happen. Just for me, I've enjoyed every bit of working with him. This off-season, we had a great OTAs. The other work that we see on Sundays in the fall starts in OTAs together."
Ertz spent the first nine years of his career with the Eagles, clinching all of his Pro Bowl berths with the team along with setting the single-season record for receptions by a tight end (116 catches). Ertz was traded by the Philadelphia Eagles midway through the 2021 season.
While the team is a bit different than it was when Ertz was there, there are a few holdovers, such as tackle Lane Johnson and quarterback Jalen Hurts. The Commanders lost to the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game last season by a score of 55-23.
When asked what it will take for the Commanders to beat the Eagles this season, he doesn't have an exact answer, but the key is to "execute better."
"I feel like if I had that answer, everyone would know it and they would be 0-17," says Ertz. "They're extremely well coached. They have a lot of talented football players. The key to winning every game is who's going to execute better, who's going to turn the football over less, and who's going to limit or have more explosive plays, That is the recipe for all games -- it's not just about the Philadelphia Eagles.
One of the key difference makers for the Commanders this season is likely to be Deebo Samuel, a former Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection with the San Francisco 49ers. Samuel has played in two Super Bowls and once posted 1,405 receiving yards and 365 rushing yards with eight touchdowns in a single season.
The hope is that a playmaker like Samuel will help push the Commanders over the top.
"First and foremost, the guy loves the work, which means he's going to fit in perfectly in our organization," Ertz says of Samuel. "He was grinding every day in the off season. I've been with him. I've seen him train in the off season so far this summer. He's a guy that is a difference maker with the ball in his hands. Is he a running back? Is he a receiver? Doesn't really matter at the end of the day. The guy's a playmaker."
When considering the Commanders also feature McLaurin, Ertz, and running backs Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler, Washington has arguably the best offensive supporting cast in the NFL.
"You find ways to get the ball in his hands and block on the perimeter for him and good things are going to happen," says Ertz of Samuel. "For me, I'm excited. Kliff (Kingsbury) is such a good guy using people to their skill sets, and Deebo has got a lot of it. It's going to be exciting for him, it's going to be exciting for us. I'm excited to get to work with him again in a few weeks."
