Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews has been the subject of fan ire since he dropped a pass with 1:33 remaining that would have tied the AFC divisional round game against the Buffalo Bills late in the fourth quarter last Sunday.
He remained quiet until Thursday, when Andrews finally addressed the 27-25 loss in an emotional message posted to Instagram that acknowledged both his regret and his resolve to move on.
“It’s impossible to adequately express how I feel. I’m absolutely gutted by what happened on Sunday. I’m devastated for my teammates, my coaches and Ravens fans,” Andrews said. “I pour every ounce of my being into playing at the highest level possible, because I love my team and the game of football like nothing else. That is why it’s taken me until now to collect my thoughts and address this publicly.
“Even though the shock and disappointment are unlike anything I’ve felt before, I refuse to let the situation define me. I promise that this adversity will only make me stronger and fuel us as we move forward.”
Andrews, an All-Pro who has spent seven seasons with the Ravens, finished the game with five receptions on seven targets for 61 yards. He also lost a fumble in the fourth quarter that the Bills recovered and turned into three points. That was just his second career lost fumble.
Andrews, 29, has had the backing of his team.
Quarterback Lamar Jackson told a distraught Andrews on Sunday as he sat on the bench that the loss couldn’t be pinned on him.
“We’re a team. It’s all of us, bro. It ain’t just you,” Jackson said.
And on Wednesday, coach John Harbaugh gave Andrews his support.
“Mark is a huge part of our future and we love him,” Harbaugh said. “We’re there for him. If anybody can take a tough circumstance like that and handle it with class and grace and dignity and mental toughness, it’s most definitely Mark Andrews.”
A Bills fan, seeking to help Andrews through tough times, started a GoFundMe campaign to support Breakthrough T1D, which supports diabetes research. Andrews is a Type-1 diabetic.
The campaign has raised more than $100,000.
“I thank everyone who has shown me and our team genuine support these past several days,” Harbaugh said. “Despite the negativity, I’ve seen heartfelt love and encouragement, including from those who have generously donated to the Breakthrough T1D organization. Even when the moment seems darkest, perspective can reveal that there’s still a lot of light in this world. I’m now going to do my part to bounce back and contribute to it.”
In seven NFL seasons, all with the Ravens, Andrews has 436 receptions for 5,530 yards and 51 touchdown catches.
