Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens are still looking to get over the hump in the playoffs. Jackson entered the playoffs as the favorite to win another Most Valuable Player Award, which would make his third.
Unfortunately, the Ravens came up short once again, this time against the Buffalo Bills. It wasn’t as if Baltimore didn’t have multiple chances to win the game.
The energy in the game shifted for the Ravens when star tight end Mark Andrews was stripped in the fourth quarter for what would’ve been a first down, with the Bills recovering the ball.
Andrews then had a chance to redeem himself with under two minutes left in the contest.
With the Ravens down two, they took the field for a two-point conversion attempt. Jackson found Andrews on the goal line for what should’ve been an easy pitch-and-catch, but Andrews inexplicably dropped the ball, effectively ending Baltimore’s season.
Now, via a lengthy post on Instagram, Andrews has released his official statement on what transpired.
“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. 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. I thank everyone who has shown me and our team genuine support these past several days.
“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.”
It’ll be interesting to see how Andrews responds next season, especially considering he looked like he’d lost a step at times throughout this season’s campaign.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.