What is the Extent of Zach Ertz's Injury After Gruesome Hit in Commanders vs. Vikings?

Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz will miss the rest of the season after suffering a torn ACL during Sunday's 31-0 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, head coach Dan Quinn told reporters on Monday.

Ertz's right leg appeared to bend backwards when he was hit by Jay Ward while jumping for an attempted catch with just over two minutes remaining in the third quarter.

He did not put any weight on the leg as he was helped off the field.

Ertz was visibly emotional as he was carted off the field, while Jayden Daniels could be seen on the broadcast throwing his helmet to the ground in apparent frustration.

Ertz was subsequently ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game.

Ertz, 35, is playing this season on a one-year contract. He has not confirmed whether he plans to return to the NFL in 2026.

His departure worsened what had already been a rough game for the Commanders, who were trailing 24-0 at the time of his injury.

The Commanders already lost Daniels earlier in the third quarter. The quarterback, who was playing in his first game back since dislocating his left elbow on Nov. 9, was designated as questionable to return after he took a hard hit that appeared to jar the same arm.

Ertz has been one of the Commanders' most consistent players in what has so far been a rough season for Washington's offense.

The tight end ranked second on the team with 49 catches and 493 receiving yards with four touchdowns through 12 games heading into Sunday.

He had recorded one catch for 11 yards before he was injured while attempting to catch a pass from backup quarterback Marcus Mariota.

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The Commanders were officially eliminated from the NFL playoff picture with Sunday's loss.

With the postseason close to officially slipping away, the Commanders will need to turn their attention toward managing the long-term health of Daniels.

It is unclear how this injury will impact his decision on whether or not he will return for a 14th NFL season.

The setback comes the week after a historic Week 13 outing for Ertz. The tight end passed Shannon Sharpe for the fifth-most catches by any NFL tight end with career reception No. 816 in an overtime loss to the Denver Broncos last Sunday.