'Lamar Needs You!' Inside Texts From Andrews to Likely

'Lamar Jackson Needs You!' Inside the Text Messages From Mark Andrews to Isaiah Likely on Baltimore Ravens' Playoff Push

When the Baltimore Ravens lost Mark Andrews last month to a probable season-ending injury - a cracked fibula and ankle ligament injury coming as a result of the soon-to-be-illegal "hip-drop tackle'' by the Cincinnati Bengals - a hole was created.

How would the Super Bowl-hopeful Ravens replace the three-time Pro Bowl tight end, as QB Lamar Jackson's best-established pass-catching weapon?

Andrews had a message for his replacement, young Isaiah Likely.

And Likely had a message for his mentor, veteran Mark Andrews, as well.

"I told him, 'Hey, whenever you're ready to talk, like I want to talk to you, make sure your head's OK rather than just talk to you as a football player,'" Likely said on BaltimoreRavens.com's "The Lounge" podcast.

That's a mature gesture coming from the 22-year-old Likely, the Ravens' fourth-round pick in 2022, offering a pep talk to Andrews, who is on the injured reserve list and hoping for a miracle of sorts that would allow him to return to the Baltimore lineup before the 2024 NFL season.

And Andrews soon after texted Likely back in return. That message read ...

"Lamar needs you. It's your time. Be who you are.''

The 6-4, 240-pound Likely has heeded that advice. For the season, he's got 18 catches for 212 receiving yards. But in the last two games? He's stepped into this high-profile opportunity as a Baltimore’s go-to guy in the last two games by hauling in nine receptions for 123 receiving yards, one od those being in the OT win over the Los Angeles Rams as he contributed a 54-yard receiving touchdown.

Odell Beckham Jr. and Kyle Hamilton Limited in Practice

Lamar Jackson has indeed "needed'' Likely ... and the two tight ends seem to need one another, too.

Said Lively of his visit with Andrews: "We just talked about ... making sure he's in good spirits, making sure he still got that smile that Mark has and understanding that if I need an outlet, he's always going to be there."