Jason Kelce didn’t need much convincing when the Eagles brought Zach Ertz back into the fold.
Philadelphia’s decision to reunite with the veteran tight end came after ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported the signing during the network’s “Monday Night Football” pregame show. The move arrives at a tough spot for the Eagles, who will be without Dallas Goedert for a few weeks after he suffered a sprained MCL in Sunday’s win over the Tennessee Titans. With Goedert sidelined and rookie Eli Stowers on IR, Philadelphia needed help at tight end, and Ertz gives them a familiar answer.
Kelce, who spent nearly a decade alongside Ertz and helped the Eagles capture their first Super Bowl together, made it clear he’s fired up about the reunion.
“Dallas has been having a heck of a year. Really upset that he’s down, to be honest with you.
He’s been great for the offense,” Kelce said on ESPN. “But listen, you don’t have to talk me into Zach Ertz.
That’s my guy. I’ve got a lot of good memories with Zach.
We had a lot of success. He’s entrenched in Philadelphia still.”
Ertz’s return brings the 35-year-old back to the team he played for from 2013-21, covering eight and a half seasons in Philadelphia. And Kelce says he’d be fine with the reunion turning into a little history chase, too.
He said he “wouldn’t mind seeing” Ertz make franchise history during this latest run with the Eagles.
Ertz sits 11 catches shy of Harold Carmichael’s franchise receptions mark of 589. He could start closing that gap Monday night, when the Eagles face the Bears in Week 3.
In Other News...
Sean Mannion Is Changing Jalen Hurts' Offense In One Noticeable Way
The Eagles have opened the season with a noticeably different look, and it starts with how often they are lining up in shotgun. Through two weeks, Sean Mannion has leaned on that formation more than many expected, and the results have shown up in the passing game. Philadelphias attack has looked more efficient in that setup, with Jalen Hurts finding a rhythm that has helped the offense move more cleanly than it did at points in previous seasons.
Philadelphia now ranks sixth in the NFL in plays from shotgun, a sign that the change is not just cosmetic. Hurts has completed 70.3% of his throws from the formation, though the sample is still small and only covers two games. Even so, it is a meaningful early wrinkle for an offense still settling in, and it will be worth watching whether this heavier shotgun usage becomes a lasting feature or just a strong September trend. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Run Game Concern Now Falls On The Entire Offense
The Eagles ground game has become a bigger talking point through the first two games of the 2026 season, and Nick Sirianni made clear Tuesday that he views it as more than an issue for the running backs alone. He framed it as a team problem involving coaches and players, while pointing to the learning curve for Cam Jurgens as he settles in at left guard and giving Tank Bigsby credit for the work he has put in, along with the touchdown he recently scored.
What makes the picture messier is how many small setbacks are feeding into the larger issue. Sirianni noted the damage done by negative plays, including sacks, penalties and runs that go backward, all of which stall offensive progress and make it harder to build rhythm. For a team that wants balance, fixing the run game now looks like something that has to happen across the entire offense, not just in one room. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles May Be Holding Back What Makai Lemon Does Best
Makai Lemons first two games have been more about usage than impact, and that has made his early-season line look quieter than expected. The rookie wide receiver has been asked to operate in a game plan heavy on screens and jet sweeps, a setup that has not given him many chances to show the full range that made him such an intriguing addition. With Sean Mannion steering the offense, the Eagles have leaned into a safer, more controlled way of getting Lemon involved, even as the raw production has stayed limited.
Hollywood Browns role offers a useful comparison, because it helps show how Philadelphia is choosing to deploy its receivers right now. The bigger question is whether the Eagles are simply easing Lemon in or holding back the part of his game that can do the most damage, with the early returns leaving plenty of room for debate about how long this approach should last. [Read more 🡒]