VIDEO: Zach Ertz Surprised Heroic Eagles Fan With Sideline Meeting During Wild Card Game
By Brendan Balsamo
Zach Ertz has been a fan-favorite in Philadelphia ever since his debut in 2013. Ahead of the Eagles' Wild Card clash with the Seahawks, Ertz gave one heroic fan the opportunity of a lifetime. Ertz invited Shawn Smith, an Eagles fan who saved his own mother from a nursing home fire (while wearing a Philly No. 86 jersey), to the team's postseason bout. Not only was Smith invited to the game, but Ertz paid him a surprise visit on the sideline at Lincoln Financial Field.
Shawn Smith, an Eagles fan, was wearing Zach Ertz’s jersey when he saved his mom from a fire at a nursing home in Conshohocken
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) January 7, 2020
So @ZERTZ_86 invited him to the playoff game Sunday and surprised him on the sideline ??
What a good dude Zach is#Eagles pic.twitter.com/REmCaziuup
Ertz dapped up Smith and gave him a hug before getting someone to snap a picture of the pair together.
Although the Eagles' season came to an unfortunate end, the tight end still managed to give this fan an experience he'll never forget.
Zach Ertz played through two rib fractures, a rib cartilage fracture and a kidney injury, he revealed. pic.twitter.com/JY5ppv0JFC
— Tim McManus (@Tim_McManus) January 6, 2020
Ertz only had two catches for 44 yards in the game, but that's impressive considering he was playing through rib fractures and a lacerated kidney. Even amid the pain, Ertz not only fought for his team, but went out of his way to meet Smith.