Ravens TE Mark Andrews makes first public comments after brutal drop in loss vs. Bills

Ravens tight end Mark Andrews had largely kept his head down and mouth shut in the aftermath of his team's divisional round clash with the Bills. That changed on Thursday afternoon.

The veteran tight end shared his thoughts and emotions in the aftermath of the Ravens' divisional round loss in an Instagram post Thursday.

"It’s impossible to adequately express how I feel," Andrews wrote. "I’m absolutely gutted by what happened on Sunday. 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.

"Even though the shock and disappointment are unlike anything I’ve felt before, I refuse to let the situation define me. 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.

"Despite the negativity, I’ve seen heartfelt love and encouragement, including from those who have generously donated to the Breakthrough T1D organization. Even when the moment seems darkest, perspective can reveal that there’s still a lot of light in this world. I’m now going to do my part to bounce back and contribute to it. #GodBless"

In the days since the game, football fans and other members of the NFL community have raised over $100,000 for Breakthrough T1D, a non-profit organization dedicated to research and advocacy for type 1 diabetes, using a GoFundMe created by a Bills fan.

Andrews refused to speak to the media on Sunday night following the Ravens' 27-25 loss to the Bills. The veteran tight end's critical drop during a two-point conversion attempt late in the game proved to be the difference in the loss, and as such, he's been the target of much online hate and vitriol.

Three days after the fundraiser began and four days after the loss, Andrews was clearly ready to make his first public comments since the game ended.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mark Andrews: Ravens TE addresses drop vs. Bills in Instagram post