Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews suffered an injury in Week 11 against the Cincinnati Bengals from a controversial hip-drop tackle.
What was the extent of Andrews’ injuries, and is he expected to return this NFL season?
Mark Andrews Injury Update
Andrews underwent ankle surgery on Tuesday, Nov. 21 following the significant injury he suffered during the Week 11 Thursday Night Football matchup. He suffered a cracked fibula and an ankle ligament injury during the 34-20 win over Cincinnati.
Andrews went down on the team’s opening drive with what the team later called an ankle injury. Andrews was heading toward the first-down marker in the red zone when he was tackled by linebacker Logan Wilson.
Wilson tackled him from behind and dropped his hips to the ground and on top of Andrews’ ankle, putting pressure on the back of the tight end’s leg.
After the win, Ravens coach John Harbaugh informed the media that Andrews’ injury was likely season-ending.
In an update from the Ravens on Dec. 14, the organization said he is doing well.
“Mark [Andrews] is great. He’s a soldier,” tight end Isaiah Likely said, who has stepped in for Andrews after the injury. “It takes a lot to keep him down, I can tell you that. He’s in good spirits. He knows that when he’s ready and 100%, he’s going to give it everything he’s got.”
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Head coach John Harbaugh and the Ravens are not ruling out the possibility that Andrews could return at some point this season, perhaps during the playoffs.
“I will tell you if Mark feels like he can play this year, he will give it everything he has, because that means Mark can do everything that Mark does,” Likely said.
Likely has led the way at the tight end position for the Ravens since Andrews’ injury.
After getting 12 targets in the Ravens’ first 11 games, Likely has 13 targets in the past two. Since becoming the starter, he’s made nine catches for 123 yards, including a 54-yard touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams
Behind the scenes, Andrews has been guiding Likely in his increased role.
“I’ll ask Mark, ‘If you were to run this route, let me know how you would run it,'” Likely said. “That’s before I even show him the play. And then when I show him the play, he’ll tell me if he would have tweaked it a little bit.”
The play on which Andrews suffered the injury brought up the “hip-drop” tackle conversation again. The league has discussed banning these hip-drop tackles, which have resulted in injuries to numerous players. After the game, Harbaugh questioned if the tackle was necessary.
“It was definitely a hip-drop tackle,” Harbaugh said. “It is being discussed. It’s a tough tackle. Was it even necessary in that situation?”
The National Football League Players Association has previously recommended not instituting a rule banning hip-drop tackles due to the difficulty of defining the term and the impossible position in which it could put defensive players.
Wilson later defended himself and the tackle he made on Andrews.
“I honestly wasn’t even sure what a hip-drop tackle was prior to that being brought to my attention after the game,” Wilson said. “Obviously, I guess, it’s something they’re looking at doing, but it’s hard in the position when you’re trying to come from behind and trying just to find a way to bring him down.
“It’s not like Mark Andrews is a small human. You’re just trying to find a way to bring the guy down, and unfortunately, that’s what happened. I’d never wish it upon him. Whatever they decide to do with the hip-drop tackle going forward, we’ll have to adjust, but it would make it a lot harder if that’s what they decide to do.”
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