Ravens' John Harbaugh addresses brutal Mark Andrews miscues

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh was among those who quickly defended tight end Mark Andrews after he committed a pair of costly mistakes in the team's 27-25 divisional-round playoff loss at the Buffalo Bills this past Sunday. 

Harbaugh echoed such takes while speaking with reporters on Wednesday. 

"Mark is a huge part of our future, and we love him and we're there for him," Harbaugh said, ESPN's Jamison Hensley shared. "If anybody can take a tough circumstance like that and handle it with class, grace, dignity and mental toughness, it's most definitely Mark Andrews."

Andrews lost a fumble near midfield while trying to gain a few more yards after a catch when Baltimore trailed Buffalo by five points with roughly 8:45 left in regulation. He later dropped what should've been a game-tying two-point conversion with 1:33 remaining in the fourth quarter and then sat on the bench as the hosts ran the clock out. 

Andrews is set to play next season on the final year of a contract that carries a salary-cap hit of $16.9M. The Ravens should want to reduce that number via an extension for reasons that go beyond the fact that the veteran who turns 30 years old in September is the all-time leading touchdown receiver in franchise history. 

According to ESPN stats, Andrews led the 2024 Ravens for the regular season with 11 touchdown catches. He was second on the team with 55 receptions and third with 673 receiving yards. 

"Nobody cares more about the success of this football team than Mark Andrews...he's also a very tough-minded individual," Harbaugh added. "So yeah, he takes it hard. He cares so much, but I love Mark Andrews. [Ravens general manager] Eric [DeCosta] loves Mark. All of our players love Mark."

Two plays won't define Andrews' Baltimore legacy, and he showed throughout the second half of the 2024 campaign that he can still be a reliable safety blanket for quarterback Lamar Jackson. Harbaugh insisted on Wednesday that Andrews "is one of the very best" and "one of the most committed football players" in the NFL. Such comments indicate Harbaugh could ask DeCosta to get a deal done with Andrews before the new league year opens in March.