Big Dom to the rescue
Update: Zach Ertz on Nick Sirianni postgame
Zach Ertz says the postgame scene with Nick Sirianni is blown way out of proportion. Ertz says things are all good now and just two competitive people. pic.twitter.com/q1f1uNoIvq
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) December 26, 2024
Update: Video of the incident via WUSA9
Our camera caught part of this interaction (apologies for the blurriness).
It looks like Ertz goes in for the handshake/high five with Sirianni. Then Sirianni turns his head and says something to Ertz after he walks by. That fired the #Commanders tight end up @wusa9 https://t.co/z9nL8OVYUW pic.twitter.com/2JSDiC8iUL
— John Doran (@JohnDoranTV) December 26, 2024
Here’s a little bit of video from Zach Ertz and Nick Sirianni from postgame. Looks pretty clear Ertz took offense to something Sirianni said.
(Video from @dckerNBC4) pic.twitter.com/vykAFGAB38— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) December 26, 2024
There was reportedly an incident after the Eagles vs Commanders game involving Philadelphia head coach Nick Sirianni and Washington TE Zach Ertz. The Commanders won 36-33 in an upset win over the Eagles who came into Landover on a 10-game winning streak. Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported yesterday that the two had to be separated by Eagles chief security officer Dom DiSandro.
McLane provided more details on his latest podcast:
On the latest episode of unCovering the Birds, @Jeff_McLane dives into the reason for the postgame confrontation between head coach Nick Sirianni and former Eagles tight end Zach Ertz.
More details: https://t.co/trtnU1cTPX pic.twitter.com/v0aRe6L5Oh
— Philadelphia Inquirer Sports (@phillysport) December 26, 2024
Nick Sirianni was asked about the exchange after the game. “We just say congrats like congrats, both of us say congrats to each other.”
Ertz told an Inquirer reporter. “I’ll let him comment on what was said. To me, we just exchanged holiday pleasantries and kept it moving,”
But according to sources close to the incident. Here’s what really happened. Ertz went to shake Sirianni’s hand and could tell the coach was agitated, so instead gave him a high five. Sirianni didn’t like the intensity of Ertz’s hand slap and mocked him because he had only one catch and told him he essentially did nothing to contribute to the Commanders’ win.
Ertz took exception and got in Sirianni’s face, but the coaches escort, as always Dom DiSandro, jumped in and held Ertz back and ushered a defeated Sirianni to the tunnel. Sirianni later called Ertz and apologized over a Zoom conference call.
Ertz was on the Eagles during Siranni’s first year, but was traded to the Cardinals mid-season. Ertz went to Arizona and worked with head coach Kliff Kingsbury who is now Washington’s offensive coordinator. Not a happy homecoming for the former Philadelphia Eagle.