'To Me, He Was Immortal': Eagles' Zach Ertz Remembers Life Of Kobe Bryant In Emotional Tribute Video
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It has been one week since basketball legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. Throughout the week, there have been countless tributes remembering Bryant.
Ahead of Super Bowl 54, Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz, along with other NFL players, shared more memories of Bryant and how he inspired them on and off of the field.
"Despite him being gone, he hasn't left us."
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) February 2, 2020
Some of the NFL's best remember the life of Kobe Bryant. pic.twitter.com/kt62goPwTG
"Kobe grew up in Philadelphia and he was a huge Eagles fan. He came and spoke to us as a team, he said he had this mentality that he wanted to make the other person, his defender, question their chosen profession. He wanted that defender to feel like man, it must have been a lot better to be a lawyer or doctor than to guard Kobe Bryant," Ertz said.
Ertz went on to say that Bryant's message still gives him chills.
"As an athlete, I've never been impacted more even though we played different sports," Ertz said.
After hearing the news of Bryant's tragic death, Ertz says he went home and watched some of his old interviews as well as highlights.
"Then I sat back and reflected on the impact that someone that I really never met had on me. To me, he was immortal," Ertz said while fighting back tears.