Eagles tight end Zach Ertz has been granted leave from camp to watch wife Julie Ertz in World Cup
Philadelphia Eagles star tight end Zach Ertz has been granted leave from the team's mini-camp so he can watch his wife, Julie, compete in the FIFA Women's World Cup. Ertz is married to Team USA defensive midfielder Julie Ertz.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on Thursday that Eagles Coach Doug Peterson told Ertz that he can skip meetings after mini-camp practice and fly to France to watch his wife play.
On Wednesday, Ertz offered a fiery defense of his wife's team 13-0 victory over Thailand, which some had criticized as being an example of running up the score.
"First of all, the first tie-breaker in the World Cup for the group stage is goal differential," he said. "So it would be a crime for them to take their foot off the gas and then finish second in the group because they took their foot off the gas. Second, the best way to build team chemistry, I think you guys saw that a couple years ago with us, was the way we celebrate with one another."
Eagles TE Zach Ertz, husband of Julie Ertz, defends the U.S. Women's team running up the score on Thailand in the World Cup. pic.twitter.com/hJyvNNpYkG
— Tim McManus (@Tim_McManus) June 12, 2019
Julie Ertz was a first-team All-American at Santa Clara University and was the 2014 National Women's Soccer League Rookie of the Year. A member of the 2015 World Cup winning National Women's Soccer team, Ertz also was named the 2017 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year by the United States Soccer Federation.
Zach Ertz is one of the better tight ends in the NFL. He is a two-time Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl champion. He holds the record for most receptions by a tight end in a single season with 116 in the 2018 season.