Buffalo Bills fans are rallying behind Mark Andrews by contributing to his charity, while Emanuel Acho is criticizing the Baltimore Ravens tight end for avoiding media interactions.
For 29-year-old Andrews, staying out of the limelight won’t alter the perception of his performance in the Ravens’ 27-25 loss to the Bills, marked notably by his critical fumble and the vital drop of a potential game-tying two-point conversion.
“HE DROPPED THE BALL! AND IT’S RECOVERED BY BERNARD! THE THIRD TURNOVER COMMITTED BY THE RAVENS!” – Jim Nantz 🏈🎙️# #NFL pic.twitter.com/zzOVIJNpF7
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 20, 2025
Jim Nantz & Tony Romo on the CBS call for the Mark Andrews drop.
“THE BALL IS DROPPED! HE HAD THE 2-POINT CONVERSION IN HIS HANDS! ANDREWS DID NOT HOLD ON!” – Nantz
“Oh my goodness.” – Romo
“It’s shocking.” – Nantz
“It’s shocking… That’s caught 999 out of 1,000.” – Romo https://t.co/Hcs8sQaey9 pic.twitter.com/CuWAPZ609w
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 20, 2025
As reported by Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, the three-time Pro Bowler skipped media availability after the Ravens’ season-ending defeat. The Pro Football Writers of America’s postgame policy mandates that all players talk to reporters after a brief cooldown period of 10-15 minutes, yet Andrews was absent.
This absence did not sit well with Emmanuel Acho, who remarked, “If Andrews comes out and puts out his own statement to the fans, to all those people? I do believe you owe something to his fans.” He pointed out that while fans don’t endure the physical toll players do, they invest their hard-earned money and time to support the team, standing in frigid temperatures for the game.
Acho emphasized the need for players to acknowledge their fans, stating, “When you drop it, just go up there and say something, because even fans are looking for closure, too.” He stressed the importance of expressing accountability and respect towards those who support the sport.
.@EmmanuelAcho takes issue with Mark Andrews ducking the media after Ravens loss 😳 pic.twitter.com/G7Qw2RHDMS
— The Facility (@TheFacilityFS1) January 22, 2025
Acho argued that fans deserve more than silence, especially those who braved the cold to support Andrews and the team. He remarked, “The media keeps the ecosystem of the sport going,” explaining that without media, there would be limited viewership and less financial growth, impacting players’ salaries. While Andrews’ silence might be understandable during an emotionally charged moment, Acho believes it misses the broader significance of the relationship between players and their fans.
Although it’s easy to critique a player’s choices in hindsight, particularly with potential fines for media noncompliance, Acho suggests that failing to acknowledge this connection only exacerbates the divide between players and their devoted supporters.
