Mark Andrews Keeps Coming Like a Force of Nature
Mark Andrews shocked the Browns with his first career rushing touchdown, but it's no surprise the Ravens' record-setting tight end continues to make game-winning plays.
By Clifton Brown
While setting records, Mark Andrews has set people straight when they've underestimated him.
He wasn't expected to become a franchise legend when he entered the NFL. He wasn't drafted until the third round in 2018 as the 86th overall pick. The Ravens drafted another tight end that year in the first round, Hayden Hurst, before they took Andrews. They already had two experienced tight ends on the roster, Maxx Williams and Nick Boyle.
"I didn't want them to draft any more tight ends," Boyle said, laughing.
Now, Boyle can't imagine Andrews playing for anyone else. Andrews is Baltimore's career leader in touchdown catches (56) and became No. 1 in receiving yards (5,806) by passing Derrick Mason (5,777) during Sunday's 23-16 win over the Cleveland Browns. Andrews needs just four catches to top Mason (471) for No. 1 in receptions, a triple crown that will further cement Andrews' place in team history.
However, what Andrews did in the Ravens' latest victory was a microcosm of why he's so revered by teammates and coaches. Less than a mile from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Andrews brought down the house. He rumbled for a 35-yard touchdown run on a fake "tush push" for the game-winning score in the fourth quarter..
The Ravens call the play “Hurricane." The Browns didn't know what hit them.
Andrews has spent eight years showing everyone in the Ravens' organization what he's all about. He doesn't play for records. He plays to win. He competes like crazy. He will try to outwork, outjump, or outthink whoever stands between him and making a catch.
His teammates respect him. His quarterbacks rely on him. But you won't hear Andrews carry on about his accomplishments or describe in detail how he's done it. Andrews is a throwback who throws his heart into what he really wants – winning a Super Bowl.
"I just continue to do my job," Andrews said earlier this month. "I just feel incredibly blessed; one, to be a part of such an amazing organization throughout these last eight years, and the incredible players that I've been able to take part with and play with and grow with.
"It's extremely humbling just to be around here and to be, obviously, playing with Lamar [Jackson] all of these years and how many plays we've made, but just continuing to get better. I'm very thankful, and I thank God at the end of the day."
'Everything Matters to Mark'
Boyle last played for the Ravens in 2022 and didn't know Andrews when he was drafted. Now they're close friends.
Early on in their relationship, Boyle discovered that Andrews can be super-intense. Andrews views every day, practice, rep, game, or offseason training session as a chance to get better. His relentless work ethic has always been part of his secret sauce.
Boyle remembers a sweltering training camp practice that typified Andrews' approach. It was near the end of the day, and Andrews thought he made a catch with his feet inbounds. The official ruled Andrews out of bounds. Andrews was furious and gave the referee a piece of his mind – actually, many pieces.
Though he couldn't believe how long Andrews stayed angry, Boyle loved the passion.
"We're just trying to get through this practice, he's screaming at the ref, and we're like, 'C'mon Mark. Does it really matter?'" Boyle said. "But he's trying to be his best every time he steps on the field. You don't see that with every player. Everything matters to Mark."
Jackson to Andrews Often Equals Magic
Among the keys to Andrews' success are his ability to read coverages, to change routes on the fly, and the creative chemistry he's built with Jackson. They joined the Ravens together in the 2018 draft and have remained joined at the hip.
Jackson and Andrews are intuitive athletes who don't always execute plays exactly how they're drawn up. They dare to be different, which often brings out their best.
When Andrews improvises while running a route, or when Jackson extends plays, they anticipate each other's moves. Their connection is particularly impressive in the red zone, where throwing windows are small and the traffic is heavier. You get the feeling that if Jackson and Andrews were blindfolded in the red zone, they'd still see a way to make a play.
Asked why the duo always appears to be on the same wavelength, Jackson just smiled and snapped his fingers.
"We just click," Jackson said. "He sees it, I see it. He rarely fools me."
Boyle said there were times during meetings when he watched completions from Jackson to Andrews and was baffled.
"He sees the field differently than any tight end I've ever played with," Boyle said. "The route tells him to keep running, but Mark will stop if he's open. And Lamar will throw him the ball, because they're on the same wavelength. I don't know how they see it.
"It's not the way the play was designed. They saw the same thing and reacted the same way. We'll be in a meeting, and the coaches will be like 'Mark, listen, you've got to run this route and stay on the move.' He'll be like, 'Yeah, yeah.' Then in the game, he'll stop, run the other way, and get the ball thrown to him."
That degree of improvisation is difficult to master and can be frowned upon by coaches. But Boyle could only laugh at the thought of Andrews getting scolded for it.
"They only ask him when it doesn't work," Boyle said. "Like, 'Mark, why did you do that?' But I'd say the percentage of Mark being right is like 80-20, good to bad. So, you're not going to take this great player and lock him up. He's great doing it, and Lamar is great seeing it. That's what makes them awesome."
'He Puts It on the Line for Us'
Pro Bowl fullback Patrick Ricard said Andrews is one of his all-time favorite teammates, a thought echoed by many Ravens. They see the way he practices, how much he cares, and his willingness to take on any role that might lead to victory.
They'll never forget how hard he worked to return for the 2023 AFC Championship game after suffering an awful ankle injury earlier in the season. They admire the way Andrews bounced back from his heartbreaking fourth-quarter fumble and two-point conversion drop in last season's divisional playoff loss.
His teammates know how tough Andrews is, and they support him in good times and bad, knowing he does the same for them. They also know to give Andrews his space on game days.
"He'll mother-f anyone when he gets mad," Ricard said. "When he's in meetings during the week, he's Mark. On Sundays, he's 'Mandrews.' He turns into a different persona where he can flip that switch and become so passionate about the game.
"He's done so much for us that we love him no matter what. He'll put it on the line for us. He wants his number called. He'll play every snap. He'll block. He'll pass protect. Some tight ends don't want to do anything but run routes and catch the ball. He'll do anything to help us win."
Andrews has been a mentor for fellow tight end Isaiah Likely, helping him with everything from how to read defenses to recovering from injuries and taking care of his body. Likely thinks he knows what some teams may have missed when they passed on Andrews in that 2018 draft.
"They couldn't see that he's such a dawg," Likely said. "That he knows his assignments, but everybody else's assignments, too. That's why he's always in the right place at the right time. The way he reads zone coverages, disguises, fronts, simulated pressures. Hearing him dissect the defense, I try to apply that to my game."
A Ring to Go With the Records
With Andrews, Likely, and Charlie Kolar all in contract years, the Ravens tight end room faces an uncertain future after this season. Andrews' name was being floated in trade rumors before the deadline, but he said that wasn't a distraction.
"I am just focused on living in the now and being in the present," Andrews said. "I know how much love and support this organization has for me, the people within the organization, and what I bring to this team."
Ricard said he hasn't spoken to Andrews about where he'd like to play next season and beyond, but Ricard is relatively certain of the answer.
"I'm sure everyone in that room wants to stay," Ricard said. "We were all drafted here. We've spent our whole careers here. There's no reason why any of us would want to leave. But it's a business at the end of the day.
"I think Mark wants to be a Raven for life. The chemistry he has with Lamar, why would you want to leave that? I've been in that boat. I would've felt so dumb to leave Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. How could I find someone better to play with than those guys?"
For now, Andrews is focused on winning a championship. After carving his place in franchise history, he wants a ring to go with the records.
"I've been extremely hungry – no matter the instance of practice, games – I'm fighting, I'm clawing, I'm trying to get better. I want to win," Andrews said. "That's what it's all about, is winning. So, I've been hungry since the second I got here, and that hunger is never going to leave."
