Zach Ertz Reveals How Patrick Mahomes Text Messages Kept Him Motivated During Knee Injury Rehab

To the extent they've crossed paths in the NFL, Patrick Mahomes and Zach Ertz have been on opposite sides. That didn't stop the veteran tight end from reaching out to the quarterback as they both recovered from major knee injuries.

Ertz told The Athletic's Jesse Newell he initially contacted Mahomes to say that "it's a lonely road ahead" after the Kansas City Chiefs star suffered a torn ACL.

The two ended up having a regular correspondence as they progressed in their rehabs.

"It was good to have someone to just be like, 'OK, where I'm at is right where I need to be,'" Ertz said. "And we're being aggressive, but we're being smart. So it was good to have someone that was constantly going through the same struggles that I was."

Mahomes gained just as much from their conversations.

"You feel like sometimes you're lonely, because you're doing stuff by yourself and you're just competing against yourself," he said. "So it gave me someone else I can compete with to push my competitive drive."

The two-time MVP said earlier in the summer he sought guidance from Ertz and others to understand how to manage his injury and the long recovery process.

Mahomes is aiming to be available for Week 1, when Kansas City hosts the Denver Broncos, and that hasn't been ruled out. He's at least bound to return at some point in 2026.

Ertz's outlook is murkier as he remains unsigned. His torn ACL last December compounded the age-related questions he faces after having turned 35 last fall.

The three-time Pro Bowler is hopeful of writing a different chapter to end his career.

"I still feel like I can make a difference in the league as a player," he said to Newell. "And so for me, it's just trying to figure out which situation is the best for me and my family, and determining when that is."

Ertz was a solid target (50 catches for 504 yards and four touchdowns) for the Washington Commanders before getting hurt.

As the regular season gets closer and teams whittle down their rosters, a new opportunity may arise.