How last season ended hasn't changed Mark Andrews' importance to the Ravens, or his passion to help the team win a Super Bowl.
He remains the franchise's all-time leader in touchdown receptions, one of the NFL's top tight ends, a go-to target for Lamar Jackson, and a super-intense player who strives for perfection.
However, last season's 27-25 playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills featured the most heartbreaking episode of Andrews' career, when he lost a fumble in the fourth quarter and dropped a potential game-tying two-point conversion in the final minutes.
With the Ravens opening the regular season at Buffalo in a marquee matchup on "Sunday Night Football," Andrews' return remains a storyline, something that's been discussed since the schedule was released in May.
But for the three-time Pro Bowl tight end, coping with what happened last year has been dealt with. It's time for a new season, and Andrews is ready to compete, whether the game is played in Buffalo, Baltimore, or the Bahamas.
"I'm a pro," Andrews said. "This is what I do, this is what I love to do, this is my whole entire world. For me, it's about focusing, doing my job, just knowing the type of player I can be for this offense and for this organization, for this city.
"There's been countless times when I've stepped up and made big plays. I'm excited to do that this year as well."
Andrews' role could become even larger in Week 1 if tight end Isaiah Likely (foot) remains sidelined. Likely didn't practice Wednesday, which could increase snaps for Andrews and tight end Charlie Kolar, who enjoyed a strong summer.
However, Andrews is always willing to handle more. He's coming off another splendid season in which he caught a career-high 11 touchdown passes, with 55 receptions for 673 yards. As usual, he was one of the most consistent players in training camp, using crisp footwork, precise route running, a feel for soft spots in the secondary, and a huge catch radius to consistently haul in passes.
He remains "Mandrews" in the eyes of teammates, coaches, and opponents – a difficult cover who's as tough as they come.
Jackson and Andrews started their careers together with the Ravens in 2018, and they have been close since. The quarterback has seen no discernible difference in his No. 1 tight end.
"Mark, we know what we're always getting," Jackson said. "He wants to win, the same guy, nothing's changed."
When there was speculation before the draft that the Ravens could trade Andrews, he didn't pay attention. He's back in Baltimore, and he's happy.
"It's always good for people to have your back. That's a good feeling," Andrews said. "I'm grateful for the people that are around me that believe in me, trust in me. I think that's evident in me being here, the trust that they've shown in me throughout the years."
Andrews is looking at the big picture, not simply Week 1. Winning a Super Bowl is the goal, and the Bills are expected to remain one of the AFC's heavyweights. The Ravens want to start fast by beating Buffalo in a game that could have playoff seeding implications down the road.
Left tackle Ronnie Stanley joined the Ravens two years before Andrews and never thought for a moment that what happened in Buffalo in the playoffs would extinguish Andrews' fire.
"I know the type of competitor Mark is, and he's not going to let one moment, one bad thing [that] happened to set him back," Stanley said. "He's a true warrior. He's going to push forward through those moments, and I know he's excited to prove himself and everyone else that he's still that guy."
Andrews' body clock is telling him that the season is near, and he's looking forward to making it special. It's not about what happened in Buffalo. It's about bouncing back and helping the Ravens win a championship.
"I believe that we have a hungry team, a team that's ready to go," Andrews said. "This is going to be a great test.
"It's that time. We've put in a lot of hard work, done a lot of great things, we've grown as a team. I'm excited to see where that takes us. It starts Week 1."
