Zach Ertz handed Philadelphia Eagles fans quite the flashback on Monday. Ertz first turned heads amid his availability for the Chicago Bears game. But he caught his first pass in that uniform for the first time since 2021.
And got Eagles fans in a frenzy afterward.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts connected with the famed tight end on this nine-yard connection:
First catch back for Zach Ertz. pic.twitter.com/QSZm4Voo6i
— James McKeith (@freshprincephi) September 29, 2026
Fans couldn't help but take a trip down memory lane after that grab.
“Imagine telling someone in 2018 Andy Dalton, Xavier Woods, Case Keenum, and Zach Ertz put up stats in a Bears v Eagles game in 2026,” one fan posted on the social media website X, formerly Twitter.
Another fan account felt the 2017 energy after the Ertz grab.
“Case Keenum cooking, Andy Dalton throwing goal-line picks, Zach Ertz back in Philly. This game was assembled from leftover 2017 parts,” the account posted.
That catch drew him closer to reaching Harold Carmichael for the franchise record for receptions by a tight end. Ertz hadn't played for the Eagles since Oct. 2021 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Ertz ended up playing in 15 total offensive snaps before halftime.
So Ertz's Eagles return came with high emotions. NBC Philadelphia reporter John Clark caught the reason why.
“You can tell how much family, football, and the Eagles mean to Zach Ertz. He and his family are in tears as he returns to the Eagles tonight. Great moment with his young son, his wife Julie, and his mom, Lisa,” Clark shared in revealing this video.
What a moment. You can tell how much family, football, and the Eagles mean to Zach Ertz. He and his family are in tears as he returns to the Eagles tonight. Great moment with his young son, his wife Julie, and his mom, Lisa. pic.twitter.com/ODpQQpMM9s
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) September 28, 2026
He and the Eagles won their first Super Bowl together during the 2017 season. Ertz later watched Philly return to the top of the NFL world in 2024.