2 min read • January 03, 2020
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There is no question Ertz is pushing to play and the team needs his pass-catching, given the wide receiver injuries. One thing that everyone seems to agree on is that his return to play is based on a medical decision. If reports of a lacerated kidney are true, it is unlikely Ertz can play. Five NFL players in the last five seasons have had reported lacerated kidneys and none returned to play in that same season. Andrew Luck 2015 week 8, Keenan Allen 2015 week 9, Jordan Poyer October 2016, Hunter Henry 2017 week 15, and Jack Doyle last year. All were placed on injured reserve and none returned to play in the same season. The wild card playoff game marks two weeks from his rib fracture and kidney injury. A rib fractures potentially makes the re-injury risk for Ertz more dangerous, as not only do the ribs serve to protect the kidney, a sharp fractured edge could further damage the kidney upon contact. Although the risk of losing a kidney is small, if this happened his football career would be over, as only having one kidney would prevent clearance to play football. The Eagles will undoubtedly have to be careful. The only hope of playing is if the kidney injury is more of a bruise, or perhaps a tiny puncture from the rib fracture.
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