Arizona Cardinal partners send supportive letters to USWNT stars

A couple of the Arizona Cardinals are showing off their writing chops with letters opened by their partners as they compete for the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Zach Ertz wrote to his wife, Julie, while Michael Wilson wrote to his longtime girlfriend, Sophia Smith. Both players are standouts on the United States Women’s National Team.

Mesa native Julie Ertz is pursuing her third World Cup after making her international debut a decade ago with the USWNT. Despite being an elder statesman on the team, that didn’t stop her husband, a Cardinals tight end, from taking time out to send his wife a supportive message ahead of her pursuit for a three-peat.

“You just want us to cry on camera,” Julie joked in the video.

Zach (and their son Madden) write:

From the moment you started running again, I could see the fire burning inside of you to start playing again. Madden and I are so excited for you and cannot wait to see you do your thing out on the pitch in New Zealand.

The Ertzs were married in March 2017 when Zach was playing with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was acquired by Arizona in 2021.

Cardinals wide receiver Wilson wrote a touching letter as his girlfriend of five years, Smith, left to pursue her soccer dreams at the international level.

.@USWNT forward Sophia Smith got a special letter from her boyfriend and @azcardinals WR Michael Wilson before her first World Cup.

Grab your tissues. 🥺 (via @NWSL)@mikewilllyy | @sophsssmith pic.twitter.com/zEAKpipHYw

— NFL (@NFL) July 26, 2023

As Smith says in the video, which was released by the NWSL, the two have been together since they were in college at Stanford.

The making of a generational athlete and and the qualities to become one of the best to ever do so. You are, quite literally, a one of one type of person. … No one deserves this more than you.

Smith earned her first international cap on Nov. 27, 2020, against the Dutch, becoming the first player born in the 2000’s to play for the senior squad.

The USWNT beat Vietnam 3-0 on July 21 behind two goals from Smith. The United States Women’s National Team will take on the Netherlands on Wednesday as it pursue an unprecedented third consecutive World Cup.