John Harbaugh didn’t hesitate for a second to address the situation surrounding Mark Andrews’ pass drop in the Baltimore Ravens’ loss to the Buffalo Bills. While the pass wasn’t meant to win the game, it was crucial for tying it up and forcing overtime. The head coach had to clarify the situation regarding the player and what happened in the end zone.
According to Harbaugh’s comments in the postgame press conference, he told Andrews the same thing he always tells his players in those kinds of situations: “There’s no one that has more heart, cares more, and fights more than Mark.” He also made it clear that without Andrews, the Ravens wouldn’t have made it this far this season: “We wouldn’t be here without Mark Andrews.”
Harbaugh’s words for Andrews were more about reflection and support. For the head coach, these situations stem from how they are handled: “It’s like anything else, destiny, the decisions you make, how you handle… what comes in your life.” Harbaugh added that Andrews handled the situation well: “Andrews handled it fantastic. He is a high-character, tough person.”
It’s also worth noting that during the game against the Bills, Andrews caught 5 passes out of the 7 Lamar Jackson threw his way. Before that fateful 2-point conversion drop, Andrews had already fumbled in the same 4th quarter with 8:41 left on the clock, which was recovered by a Bills player, giving Josh Allen another chance on offense.
Harsh Criticism for Andrews After the Game
Some, like Emmanuel Acho, sent a message to Andrews, saying that because of his mistake, Lamar Jackson would now face a year of media criticism. Meanwhile, Stephen A. Smith reminded everyone that Andrews hadn’t fumbled since 2019 and described the situation as tragic for the veteran, who has been with the Ravens since 2018.
Ravens and Andrews Still Under Contract Together
Andrews had a solid season with the Ravens, marking his second year with 17 appearances for the team (the first was in 2021). Additionally, this was the second time in his career with more than ten starts, as he started 13 games. He still has one year left on his contract with the Ravens through the 2025 season, where he will earn a base salary of $7 million.