NFL TE Zach Ertz, USWNT Legend Julie Ertz Announce Birth of Son Madden
United States women's national team star Julie Ertz and Arizona Cardinals tight end Zach Ertz welcomed their first child on Aug. 11.
Zach posted an image of the couple's son, Madden Matthew Ertz, on Twitter:
The couple began dating in 2012 when Julie was a standout soccer player for the Santa Clara University and Zach was in his senior season at Stanford.
In a 2018 profile by Richard Rys of Philly Mag, the two met at a Stanford baseball game when Zach offered Julie sunflower seeds, and they had their first date at Chipotle.
When Zach proposed to Julie in February 2016, he did so at the Stanford baseball stadium where they first met. They were married in March 2017.
In April, Julie announced on Instagram she was pregnant with the caption they were "adding to our starting lineup."
Julie has been on the U.S. national team since 2013, with 20 career goals in 116 appearances. She has played in the World Cup twice, winning in 2015, and the 2016 Olympics.
She has also been a member of the National Women's Soccer League since 2014. The 30-year-old spent eight seasons with the Chicago Red Stars. Angel City FC signed Ertz in December after the Red Stars traded her rights to the club.
Zach is entering his 10th season in the NFL. He was originally a second-round draft pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013. The Stanford alum caught the go-ahead touchdown pass with 2:21 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Eagles' victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII.
The Eagles traded Ertz to the Cardinals midway through the 2021 season. He signed a three-year extension with Arizona in March.
