The AFC's top seed, the Baltimore Ravens, received a significant boost to their offense Friday.
Pro Bowl tight end Mark Andrews has been activated off of injured reserve ahead of Sunday afternoon's AFC Championship against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. Andrews underwent ankle surgery Nov. 21 following an injury he suffered in Baltimore's 34-20 win against the Cincinnati Bengals back in Week 11. He hasn't played since.
"Here we are now going to the AFC championship game. I feel healthy. I'm feeling good," Andrews said Friday. "I'm excited to help this team in this upcoming game. I probably spend four to six hours here every day with work out and rehab. At home, there are different things like a hyperbaric oxygen chamber and stuff like that. My whole day is dedicated toward getting better. ... About three weeks ago we started talking about [returning to play this season], and you start wrapping your mind around what's going to happen."
Andrews did practice every day last week: limited Tuesday and a full participant Wednesday and Thursday. Andrews entered the divisional round as questionable, but he did not play. Andrews was again a full practice participant both Wednesday and Thursday this week. He has been making sure to stay plugged in with the team's playbook and film study each week despite not being able to physically perform.
"Mentally, you have to stay on top of it," Andrews said. "You have to get healthy in your head, healthy with your body. It's all in. For me, pushing myself every day and believing I was able to come back. It's easy to do when you have great teammates that say every day that 'we're going to keep winning for you ... by the time you're back it's going to be go time.'"
The three-time Pro Bowler and 2021 first-team All-Pro's 40 career receiving touchdowns since entering the league in 2018 are the second-most in the NFL among tight ends trailing only Travis Kelce's 52. Andrews' 55.8 career receiving yards per game rank as the sixth-most by a tight end in league history. His 54.4 receiving yards per game, as well as his six receiving touchdowns, led Baltimore in the regular season despite missing seven games.
Andrews will return to catch passes from his 2018 NFL Draft classmate, 2023 first-team All-Pro quarterback Lamar Jackson. The 2019 NFL MVP has won his past seven starts, six of which were against teams with winning records, while compiling 18 total touchdowns to just two turnovers in that stretch. The Ravens have won those games by an average of 17.3 points per game.
"It's great ball. He's slinging it. He's running it. He's making everyone's job easier and a defense's job harder," Andrews said of Jackson's play this season. "That's the MVP right there, and he's playing at that level."
Throughout their careers, Andrews has caught more passes (287) and totaled more receiving yards (3,789) and receiving touchdowns (33) thrown by Jackson than any other two Ravens players combined. Safe to say Jackson is happy to have his top target back. His return in practice has been smooth according to his quarterback.
"He's been looking good. He's been looking sharp," Jackson said of Andrews on Friday. "It's speeding up the (reintegration) process. He's looking great."
Receiving production from Lamar Jackson
| Receptions | Receiving Yards | Receiving TD | |
|---|---|---|---|
Mark Andrews | 287 | 3,739 | 33 |
Next closest Ravens duo combined | Marquise Brown and Zay Flowers (241) | Marquise Brown and Rashod Bateman (3,013) | Marquise Brown and Willie Snead (28) |
Jackson will now have two big-bodied weapons to throw to over the middle of the field against the Chiefs and their second-ranked scoring defense (17.3 points per game allowed in the regular season) with Andrews back and playing alongside fellow tight end Isaiah Likely, a second-year player whom Baltimore selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Likely has essentially mimicked Andrews' production this season since the Pro Bowler's ankle injury.
Ravens 2023 TE production (including playoffs)
| Mark Andrews* | Isaiah Likely | |
|---|---|---|
Span | Through Week 11 | Since Week 12 |
Rec YPG | 54.4 | 50.9 |
Rec TD | 6 | 6 |
*Hasn't played since injuring ankle in Week 11
"It means a lot to all of us," Jackson said when asked about Andrews fighting back to play again this season. "What it means to me is I have another security blanket on the field. Him, Likely and the rest of the guys. I'm just ready to get after it right now."
