On Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens fell to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC divisional round, falling just short in a brutal, two-point loss. Ravens fans quickly pointed fingers at tight end Mark Andrews, whose tough game culminated in a dropped pass on what would have been a game-tying two-point conversion.
Five days later, Andrews addressed his errors in an Instagram post on Thursday, saying that he had needed a few days to reflect. In the statement, Andrews took responsibility for his mistakes, saying that he was “absolutely gutted” by his role in the loss.
“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 wrote. “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.”
The game was a difficult performance for the three-time Pro Bowler. In addition to the two-point drop, Andrews dropped the ball in the first half; he also fumbled a would-be first-down catch in Bills territory in the final ten minutes of the game, which led to a Buffalo field goal.
As a result Andrews has been the recipient of vitriol from fans who blame him for the Ravens’ untimely end to the postseason. He didn’t speak with reports after the game and skipped Baltimore’s final locker room media session of the season on Monday.
Andrews’ teammates and coaches have repeatedly defended him since the game. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said postgame that he was proud of Andrews and knew that he would bounce back; linebacker Kyle Van Noy said on Tuesday that it’s a team game and that the defense had a role in the loss as well.
Quarterback Lamar Jackson shouldered some of the blame after the loss, expressing his frustration about an interception he threw earlier in the game.
“I’m just as hurt as Mark. I don’t — ain’t his fault. All of us played a factor in that game. It’s a team effort,” Jackson told reporters on Sunday.
In his statement on Thursday, Andrews also thanked fans who had shown him and the team “genuine support” in between the negative comments directed at him.
He also thanked those who donated to Breakthrough TD1, a charity that supports children with diabetes that Andrews has championed. Bills fans helped raise $77,000 for the organization soon after the game.
“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,” Andrews wrote.
