Emmanuel Acho isn’t happy with Mark Andrews ducking the media after his crucial drop during playoff game against Bills

Baltimore Ravens TE Mark Andrews has received hate for a fumble and a game-deciding drop during a two-point conversion against the Bills.

Emmanuel Acho isn’t happy with Mark Andrews ducking the media after his crucial drop during playoff game against Bills

Emmanuel Acho, Mark Andrews (Images via AP News/Imago)

Mark Andrews faced heavy scrutiny after a crucial drop in the final minutes of the Divisional Round Game against the Buffalo Bills. The drop significantly contributed to his team’s eventual loss and elimination from the season. Fans and NFL critics alike have been eagerly anticipating Andrews’ response to the game-deciding drop, along with an earlier fumble that also proved costly.

According to The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec, The three-time Pro Bowler chose to duck the media after the game. The Pro Football Writers of America’s policy on postgame access mandates “immediate access to all players for the sole purpose of conducting interviews” in both teams’ locker rooms following a 10-15 minute cooldown period. In the absence of any official explanation, it is reasonable to conclude that Andrews was simply unwilling to engage with the media after the defeat.

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Andrews also chose to avoid the media on Monday during the team’s end-of-season availability. According to ESPN, the locker room was open for an hour, but the tight end did not make an appearance.

Emmanuel Acho, a former linebacker, has expressed his dissatisfaction with the Oklahoma product ducking the media in the aftermath of the game. Earlier, he mentioned that Mark Andrews has cost twelve more months of slander for the Ravens QB Lamar Jackson. In a recent episode of the Facility, Acho had some words for the 2021 All First-Pro.

Mark Andrews had a lot of fans who were there to view and support him… when you drop, then you go up there and say something… Even the fans are looking for closure.

Acho said.

Acho also expressed that the media keeps the ecosystem going. He went on to add that there will be games playing without broadcast and media, however, nobody will be watching them. Acho noted that considering the above fact, a player must hold the media availability as an important aspect.

In the intensity of high-stakes games, fumbles, and drops, while critical, are not uncommon. These moments, often fueled by the pressure of the game, can happen to even the best players – as seen with Cam Newton in the Super Bowl. However, as human beings, athletes may struggle to process such pivotal mistakes, leading them to shut down emotionally in the aftermath.

That said, the NFL fanbase is often not forgiving of these mistakes. Mark Andrews has now missed out on an opportunity to drive the narrative and take professional accountability. However, it is equally important to recognize that, at times, prioritizing one’s mental health takes precedence over everything else.

The aftermath of the Mark Andrews drop: death threats, Bills Mafia, and more

The Arizona-born 29-year-old and his family have received death threats in the wake of the crucial drop that cost the Ravens a chance to redeem themselves, and face the Kansas City Chiefs. Mark Andrews’ girlfriend was forced to shut down her Instagram comment section after the rude and offensive comments were found underneath them.

Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens TE (Image via Ravens)

In the aftermath, Mark Andrews has received a lot of support from his fellow teammates and even the opposite fans. The Bills Mafia, the official fanbase of the Buffalo Bills, has donated over $65,000 to the charity Andrews supports. The GoFundMe started by a Bills fan Nicholas Howard went viral for all the good reasons and Breakthrough T1D has hugely benefitted from the same.

The head coach John Harbaugh has also acknowledged his faith in the star player. Similarly, Lamar Jackson also consoled the player and delivered a strong message for him during his interview. Furthermore, ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky came to Andrews’ support in hard times, admitting that those who diss Andrews based on this game are losers.