Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews is a high-risk individual amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but he still plans to play in 2020. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Ravens' Mark Andrews to play amid pandemic despite coronavirus risks

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Jul 16, 2020 3:12 PM ET

Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews is planning to play this fall amid the worsening coronavirus pandemic even though he is high-risk for COVID-19.

Per Jonas Shaffer of the Baltimore Sun, the 24-year-old target for quarterback Lamar Jackson spoke with reporters about his status on Wednesday and confirmed he wants to take the field.

“We’ve got a big year coming up. I want to be able to do a lot of things, and ... just being able to help this team win is exciting for me," Andrews said.

Ravens TE Mark Andrews, who has Type 1 diabetes, indicated tonight in a @cwdiabetes Zoom call that he plans to play in 2020.

“We’ve got a big year coming up. I want to be able to do a lot of things, and ... just being able to help this team win is exciting for me.”
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) July 16, 2020

Andrews hasn't yet suggested he would consider opting out if the season gets underway, as planned, on Sept. 10.

Andrews, who hadn’t indicated that he was considering opting out, said one of his goals is to “continue to use my platform. I want to continue to help kids and families that are dealing with T1D.”

I wrote about the COVID-19 risks he could face last month. https://t.co/C1mqcYMoTu
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) July 16, 2020

On Wednesday, ESPN's Dan Graziano reported the NFL Players Association was still in negotiations regarding protections for athletes who choose to opt out of participating in a season during the uncontrolled virus outbreak that continues to spread throughout pockets of the country.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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