Eagles Sign Zach Ertz To Five-Year Extension
![Zach Ertz. (Jeff Fusco)](https://cdn10.phillymag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/B80E8860.jpg)
Zach Ertz. (Jeff Fusco)
The Eagles signed Zach Ertz to a five-year contract extension, locking him up through 2021, the team announced Monday morning. Ertz’s extension is reportedly worth $42.5 million, with $20 million guaranteed, making him the NFL’s fourth-highest paid tight end.
Ertz became the first Eagles tight end this season to have back-to-back 100-yard games since Brent Celek did so in 2009. His career-high 152 receiving yards in the season finale against the Giants was the fourth-highest total ever by an Eagles tight end, and the most since Celek’s 157 yards in a game in 2012.
Ertz accumulated 30 receptions in the last three games, setting a team record for the most catches over a three-games span. He also racked up 450 yards over the final four games, joining Jimmy Graham as the only NFL tight ends with at least 450 yards over a four-game span since 2013. With 853 yards on the season, Ertz finished with the seventh-highest single-season yardage total ever by an Eagles tight end, while his 75 receptions rank third.
Ertz posted the following message on his website:
Nothing could make me happier than knowing I’m going to be a member of the Philadelphia Eagles for years to come.
I love Philly. My family loves it. I love how passionate Eagles fans are about their football, how they live and breathe it. I put a lot of pressure on myself to be the best, and our fans want us to be successful as much as we want to be successful.
What I love more than anything is that fans here in Philadelphia are truly honest with you. If you’re not playing great, you’re going to hear about it. If you’re losing, you’re going to hear about it. If they’re not happy, they’re going to let you know.
I have no issue with that. I know when I’m messing up, and when I do, I feel the same way they do. In life, you have to be accountable. You reap what you sow. When we’re playing great and winning, our fans are the best fans in the world, and there’s no one else in the league I’d rather play for.
That’s the way it should be.
This past season taught me a lot, and tested me in ways I had never imagined. Over the coming offseason, I’ll be getting back to the grind, and working toward next year. I’ve got a lot of motivation. We all do.
I couldn’t be more proud to be putting that work in for the Eagles, and for the city of Philadelphia. My sincerest thank you to Mr. Lurie and the rest of the organization for making this commitment to me. I am committed to doing everything I can to be the best player I can be, and to help our team get back to the Super Bowl and win it.
Let’s get to work.
Several of Ertz’s teammates tweeted in support of him. The tight end is scheduled to speak with the media today at 1 p.m.
Congrats @ZERTZ_86 you deserve it bro .. https://t.co/CAZcMV4LVY
— fletcher cox (@fcoxx_91) January 25, 2016
Congrats brotha I need you here @ZERTZ_86 #family pic.twitter.com/yyAdqmLNPT
— Jordan Matthews (@jmattjmattjmatt) January 25, 2016
Congrats bro!! @ZERTZ_86 https://t.co/Oeai4Lwo6S
— Trey Burton (@TreyBurton8) January 25, 2016
@ZERTZ_86 bless up
Congratulations to my bro @ZERTZ_86