Getty Image / Patrick Smith
The Baltimore Ravens are one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl this year. But, those odds may have just taken a big hit after an injury to superstar tight end Mark Andrews in Thursday night’s 34-20 AFC North divisional win against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Here’s a video of the injury, which happened in the first half of the contest.
Another look at the Mark Andrews injury… pic.twitter.com/anZfhzlvHb
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) November 17, 2023
The tackle was a controversial hip-drop tackle that the league is looking to eliminate. That specific kind of tackle is actually banned in rugby, and it seems likely the NFL is going to ban the tackle.
After the game, Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh was not optimistic. After the game, he said that the injury was likely-season ending.
He was not happy about the hip-drop tackle either, saying, “It was definitely a hip drop tackle. … Was it even necessary in that situation?”
This is without a doubt a huge loss for the Ravens, who now sit at 8-3. Andrews had 45 catches for 544 yards and six touchdowns this year, among the leaders at tight end in all categories. The team does have more depth at wide receiver than they have had in the past for Lamar Jackson. But, it’s fair to say that Andrews was his most trusted target. Second-year player Isaiah Likely, who has shown flashes in his career so far, will get the majority of the reps going forward.