He’ll struggle to get over dropping what should have been the game-tying two-point conversion, but Baltimore Ravens All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews can at least count on support from fans of the Buffalo Bills, the team that advanced to the AFC Championship thanks to his critical drop.
Letting the ball get away from him in the corner of the end zone at Highmark Stadium on Sunday, January 19 left Andrews subject to “negative attention online,” according to ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg.
She reported “Bills fans decided to show some support.” They did so by donating to a GoFundMe page set up by Bills fan Nicholas Howard and dedicated to supporting “Breakthrough T1D, a global Type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization that Andrews has been connected to in the past. Andrews was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a child Type 1 diabetes.”
As Getzenberg noted, “More than $25,000 was raised from at least 1,000 donations as of Tuesday night, surpassing an original goal of at least $5,000.”
Donations continued apace into Wednesday, January 22, when Getzenberg’s colleague Adam Schefter revealed “Bills Mafia now has donated close to $60,000 – and counting – to the @BreakthroughT1D organization, which works towards curing and improving the lives of those dealing with Type 1 diabetes like Andrews.”
In an effort to support Ravens TE Mark Andrews, Bills Mafia now has donated close to $60,000 – and counting – to the @BreakthroughT1D organization, which works towards curing and improving the lives of those dealing with Type 1 diabetes like Andrews.
The GoFundMe page includes personal messages of support for Andrews, including, “Stay Strong Mark. BILLS Mafia supports you,” as well as “You are an amazing tight end, made so many stellar plays throughout the season and we wouldn’t be the team we are today without you. Feel the love and ignore the hate! #GoRavens.”
Such positive messages will be a boost to Andrews, who’s raised awareness for his condition with more than one public action on and off the field. Now the player begins the mental process of putting the most high-profile mistake of his career behind him.
