Arizona Cardinals tight end Zach Ertz left Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams with a knee injury.
The Cardinals veteran suffered the injury after hauling in a 12-yard reception and going down between two defenders.
#ZachErtz
Got to hope for good news on MRI and dodge the ACL bullet for left knee. Injury happens before the pile. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/JWaCqftLMk— David J. Chao – ProFootballDoc (@ProFootballDoc) November 13, 2022
Although Ertz walked off the field, he left for the locker room on a cart. The Cardinals listed him as questionable to return.
Zach Ertz has been carted off the field.
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/jPGUT1fRPl
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 13, 2022
The injury comes one day after the NFLPA launched a PR campaign lobbying the NFL to replace artificial turf with grass surfaces. A number of NFL stars, including Cooper Kupp, George Kittle, Gabe Davis, Dalton Schultz, Nick Bosa, sent out tweets touting the merits of grass fields in helping to reduce the potential for injuries.
The NFL has cited a study showing there is no difference between the injury rate on artificial fields vs. grass fields; the players union begs to differ.
After Ertz’s injury, some fans rekindled the debate about the dangers of artificial turf playing surfaces.
“Zach Ertz looks to have a knee injury on a TURF FIELD. CHANGE THE DAMN FIELD CONDITIONS,” tweeted Benjamin Garcia.
“TURF DIDN’T CAUSE THIS,” tweeted Janis Gemma.
Others were just concerned about Ertz.
“I feel awful for Zach Ertz man. Been an integral part of the Arizona Cardinals since the second he joined the team,” tweeted Alex Clancy.
Zach Ertz looks to have a knee injury on a TURF FIELD. CHANGE THE DAMN FIELD CONDITIONS @NFL pic.twitter.com/4NLjm4wAYH
— Benjamin Garcia (@BenGarciaShow) November 13, 2022
Damn that sucks. Turf strikes again!
— BMAC (@bryan1012000) November 13, 2022
TURF DIDN'T CAUSE THIS..Warner fell on Ertz's knee
— Janis Gemma (@jrgemma53) November 13, 2022
Defender lands on his knee
> Turfs faultJust stop.
— Tweeter Dahn 🦎 (@DeezNootles) November 13, 2022
Zach Ertz —
Best case Left MCL sprain.
Worst case Left ACL.Hopefully not worst case.
pic.twitter.com/L0TkH77GfH— Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT (@jmthrivept) November 13, 2022
The #Cards currently lead the Rams, but it comes at a cost with Zach Ertz being carted off with a left knee injury.
His body language says it all and I fear this could be serious. We will find out soon enough…#BirdCityFootball pic.twitter.com/GFzQ2HEasX
— Luke Lyddon (@Luke_Lyddon) November 13, 2022
I feel awful for Zach Ertz man. Been an integral part of the Arizona Cardinals since the second he joined the team.
— Alex Clancy (@ClancysCorner) November 13, 2022
UPDATE: ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Ertz is “expected to miss multiple weeks with the knee injury,” but the Cardinals believe that his “ACL is intact.”
Cardinals TE Zach Ertz, spotted in a brace after Arizona’s win, is expected to miss multiple weeks with the knee injury he suffered today, per source. The team does suspect that his ACL is intact, however. But Ertz will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine full extent of injury.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 14, 2022
