Mark Andrews: His Eyes Never Lose Focus

After overcoming the most serious injury of his career, Mark Andrews' determination to win a Super Bowl has never been greater.

By Clifton Brown

There are times when Mark Andrews looks so intense, it feels safer to avoid making eye contact.

His gaze on game days can be piercing, almost menacing. When he steps between the lines, the mild-mannered Andrews becomes "Man-drews," a ferociously gifted tight end who believes no defender can check him one-on-one.

"I think I'm one of the most dangerous people in the world to cover," said Andrews, a three-time Pro Bowler who enters the 2024 season third on the Ravens' all-time list in receptions (381) and receiving yards (4,857), and second in career touchdown catches (40), just one behind Todd Heap (41).

'I Could See the Tears'

Andrews has been full of swag during training camp, talking trash and making acrobatic catches, looking more uncoverable than ever.

However, last season was hell for Andrews after he fractured his ankle Nov. 16 against the Cincinnati Bengals. It was the most serious injury of his career, and it brought him face-to-face with the reality that even athletes with the physique of a gladiator like Andrews can crumble on any play.

Andrews' parents were at that game when their son was injured. They remember the eerie silence at M&T Bank Stadium when Andrews didn't get up. By the time they rushed from their seats to the locker room, he had already sent a text.

"It's not good," the text read. "I'm leaving. I'll meet you down by the doors."

When Martha finally got to her son, she looked into those piercing eyes. The fire he brings to every practice, every game, was gone. This time, Andrews' eyes told a different story.

"I could see the tears," Martha said. "Mark is very stoic, very focused. That's him, all the time. He's a man of very few words.

"This was scary for him. I think he had to process it himself. He couldn't talk about it at first. But once he had surgery and the doctors started giving him possible return dates, he took off and ran with that hope. He was determined to get back before the season ended if he could."

Andrews approached his rehab with his typical ferocious intensity and returned for the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs. He was still far from 100% and finished with two catches for 15 yards.

Losing the game only made Andrews more disappointed about the injury. However, getting back on the field before doctors expected gave Andrews something to build on when he returned home to continue his rehab in Scottsdale, Ariz.

"At first the doctors were pretty skeptical about me coming back for that (Chiefs) game, but I pushed the limits, using the hyperbolic chamber, doing anything I could," Andrews said. "Obviously, I wasn't quite myself in that game, but I set myself up to be in a really good spot heading into the offseason."

Team Andrews Went to Work

Andrews is the youngest of four children, and his family serves as his primary workout team during the offseason. The Andrews are closeknit and know how driven Mark is.

High achievement runs in the family. His father and his brother Jack are both urologists. His brother Charlie works with Martha in their successful real estate company. His sister Annie is a dentist who recently opened her own practice.

The Andrews siblings are all very competitive, athletic, and goal driven. When Mark needs a workout, his father and some combination of his siblings answer the call, ready to push Andrews as hard as he pushes himself. The family loves being around Mark, and he loves them being involved.

"People are kind of shocked that he doesn't have someone famous he goes to for training," Martha said. "He has people who work on his body, but the Ravens gives him tools for workouts and he takes it from there."

Andrews bought a house several years ago that's only about a mile from his parents' house in Scottsdale. His home has a huge backyard that includes a Jugs machine, a blocking sled, battle ropes, and more, and Andrews purchased more specific equipment this offseason to focus on adding flexibility and strength to his ankle.

When he wasn't rehabbing at home, Andrews went to a local field that he prefers for his meticulous workouts that often attract a crowd.

"We love this one particular field, because he's very particular about the grass," his father Paul said. "The grass has to meet his approval. The people who work at this field probably wouldn't let most people do what we do, going over the fence with all this equipment. But they know it's Mark, and kids know it's him and they'll come and watch."

Once the balls start coming out of the machine, Andrews is all business. Some sessions are for working on an assortment of catches. Others are to work on route running. Andrews plans every session to the minute, and he's just as intense on an April day in Scottsdale as he is during a late-season game in December.

"Nothing's random, not even the footballs we use," Paul said. "I'm responsible for the balls, and at first, I just ordered them. Now the Ravens send them to me, but I can't condition the balls as well as they do. If one comes out of the machine that Mark doesn't like, he'll say, 'Throw that one out.'

"Mark's a lot of fun when he's not focusing on football, but once we jump in the truck to work out, it's like he's a different person. If you're going someplace else, and the field isn't what he wants, he's not a happy person."

Diabetes Could Not Deter Him

Andrews' father recognized his son's unusual determination after he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 9. Mark was already an elite soccer player for his age, and the family worried how he would handle the disease.

"I was devastated being a physician, knowing what this disease can do to people," Paul said. "I had all this transference in my head like, he's going to lose his eyesight, limbs. But Mark was a great teacher for all of us."

Riding with his family to his first soccer game after being diagnosed, Andrews' blood sugar spiked. But Mark stayed calm, took his injection, and got out of the minivan and played. More accurately, he dominated.

"Within the first 10 minutes, he scored a goal with his left foot and a goal with his right foot," Paul said.

He still is. People usually forget, or don't know that Andrews has diabetes when they watch him play. He uses his platform to speak to kids with diabetes, wanting to give them the confidence to chase their dreams as well.

"The fact he manages it so well is pretty amazing," Paul said. "I mean, he's out there playing football at the highest level, dealing with that 365 days, 24 hours a day. Sometimes he may have to get up in the middle of the night to take sugar or insulin. It's a difficult road, but it's something people can overcome if they have that level of determination."

'What Is My Legacy Without a Super Bowl?'

Martha cried when the Ravens drafted Andrews because Baltimore was so far from Arizona. Now she never wants him to play anywhere else.

Asked how much her son wants a Super Bowl, Martha Andrews laughed and said, "On a scale of 1 to 10? One thousand."

Lamar Jackson's quest to win a Super Bowl is often discussed, but Andrews was also drafted with Jackson in 2018. Jackson has completed more passes to Andrews than any other player, and their on-field chemistry continues to grow.

Now with Isaiah Likely emerging as another potential prolific tight end target, and the addition of Derrick Henry in the backfield, Andrews may see even more single coverage. He's already on pace to finish his career as the Ravens' all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown catches, but records aren't what matter most to Andrews. Winning does.

"Leaving a legacy is something that's huge," Andrews said. "But what is my legacy without a Super Bowl?"

Andrews has a sense of urgency that perhaps he didn't have when he arrived in Baltimore. He will turn 29 years old on Sept. 6, and he doesn't want to wait any longer for a championship ring.

A car accident that Andrews was involved in Aug.14 was another reminder of how fragile fate can be. Andrews feels fortunate to have walked away from the incident unscathed, and now his focus has returned to preparing for Week 1.

"It's extremely scary, it's definitely a serious thing," Andrews said. "For me it puts things in perspective. Tell the people that you're around that you love them."

Andrews' piercing eyes can't see into the future. But he's fully healthy again, and his sights are targeting a championship.

"You look at this organization and the standard that has been brought here by players before us. You look at the players we have now, obviously Lamar, Ronnie [Stanley], Marlon [Humphrey], the staples of this organization who have been here a long time. We're fighting for that final goal, and I'm extremely motivated. And I've got a lot of football left in me."