Ravens' Andrews: 'Adversity will only make me stronger'

Tight end Mark Andrews opened up for the first time since his Baltimore Ravens lost 27-25 to the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round, knocking them out of the playoffs.

"It's impossible to adequately express how I feel. I'm absolutely gutted by what happened on Sunday," Andrews wrote in a statement posted on Instagram. "I'm devastated for my teammates, my coaches, and Ravens fans. I pour every ounce of my being into playing at the highest level possible because I love my team and the game of football like nothing else. That is why it's taken me until now to collect my thoughts and address this publicly."

Andrews dropped a pass from Lamar Jackson on a two-point conversion that would have tied Sunday's contest with under two minutes remaining in regulation. He'd already fumbled the ball midway through the fourth quarter, which ended a separate offensive drive.

The veteran pass-catcher didn't speak with reporters after the loss and was also absent on locker cleanout day.

"Even though the shock and disappointment are unlike anything I've felt before, I refuse to let the situation define me," the three-time Pro Bowler continued. "I promise that this adversity will only make me stronger and fuel us as we move forward. I thank everyone who has shown me and our team genuine support these past several days."

In the wake of Andrews' struggle, a Bills fan created a GoFundMe that's collected over $35,000 in donations to benefit Breakthrough T1D, a nonprofit that funds research to find a cure for Type 1 diabetes and helps people living with the autoimmune disease. Andrews himself suffers from Type 1 diabetes and has been a spokesperson for the cause.

"Despite the negativity, I've seen heartfelt love and encouragement, including from those who have generously donated to the Breakthrough T1D organization," Andrews said.

Head coach John Harbaugh joined the players and coaches who rallied around Andrews in the aftermath of the Ravens' playoff exit.

"Nobody cares more about the success of this football team than Mark Andrews," Harbaugh said Wednesday, according to ESPN's Jamison Hensley. "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."

After taking some time to himself, it appears that Andrews is ready to move forward.

"Even when the moment seems darkest, perspective can reveal that there's still a lot of light in this world," he said. "I'm now going to do my part to bounce back and contribute to it."

Andrews has established himself as one of the best offensive weapons in Baltimore's history: The Oklahoma product became the Ravens' all-time receiving touchdown leader with his 51st career score. He's set to enter the final year of his four-year, $56-million contract next season.