Eagles' Zach Ertz, USWNT wife share Super Bowl Opening Night

Jan. 30 (UPI) -- She might have missed the NFC Championship, but Julie Ertz was a fixture at Super Bowl Opening Night in Saint Paul, Minn.

The United States Women's National Team star shared the spotlight with her husband, Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz, at the Xcel Energy Center.

Zach and Julie also shared the spotlight two weeks ago, when they were playing for the their respective teams while separated by nearly 3,000 miles. The Eagles had just finished beating the Minnesota Vikings to go to the Super Bowl before Julie finished her game against Denmark. After netting a goal in the 5-1 victory, Julie was told about her husband's achievement and broke down crying with joy.

When Zach saw the reaction of his wife, he too became emotional.

"Obviously she's a stud," the Eagles' tight end said Monday of his wife. "I'm glad that she's here right now. She's right behind you guys [reporters]. It's obviously a lot of fun that she's here and to be able to share this moment with her is extremely special."

"It was tough. Being out there with all the confetti flying and her not being there was tough. It was not easy, but seeing that video kinda showed me that she was struggling not being there too and it was extremely difficult for us not being together, like it is anytime we're not together. But she's here now. I'm lucky that she's here. I'm blessed that she's here and hopefully we will be able to experience that again."

Ertz added that his Eagles teammates enjoy cheering on the USWNT and going to games.

"Our schedules are so crazy, I don't know how many of her teammates have come to our games, but a lot of my teammates have gone to her games," he said. "It's tough with the schedule. Guys in the offseason go home and the women's team plays all over the country, so it's extremely tough."

"But the support between my teammates and her in particular, all my teammates are extremely supportive of her. She's obviously an amazing woman and she happens to be a great soccer player too."

Julie also asked questions on behalf of US Soccer. Her husband repeatedly referred to her as the "best athlete in the family, before she went up on stage to ask him questions.

"I'm very grateful and very blessed," Julie Ertz said. "I just am so proud of him. I'm just so excited to obviously share this moment and I'm proud of you babe."