First, an ending of sorts. Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz walked off Lincoln Financial Field, the home of the team that drafted him. He held up the sign language symbol for I love you to the crowd and twisted tightly the muscles on his face, it seemed, in an effort to keep from crying. (Philadelphia Eagles fans hanging over the edge of the stands, contrary to popular belief, were incredibly well behaved.)
Respite arrived in the form of a bear-sized human in a green Eagles Starter jacket. Fletcher Cox, Ertz’s former teammate, emerged from behind a collapsible yellow barrier and swallowed Ertz in a gargantuan hug. For a few moments, there was no need to say anything or go anywhere.
