The 2020 NFL season is currently scheduled to start on time, but there’s a group of players with pre-existing medical conditions for whom the prospect of playing in the COVID-19 era is a little more uncertain and medically questionable. However, some players with medical issues are prepared to get out on the field when the games start. One such player in Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews.
Andrews suffers from Type-1 diabetes, a condition that could put additional stress on his immune system should he contract the coronavirus. But speaking on a Zoom call with the Children with Diabetes group, Andrews sounded like a man who was willing to play in 2020.
Ravens TE Mark Andrews, who has Type 1 diabetes, indicated tonight in a @cwdiabetes Zoom call that he plans to play in 2020.
“We’ve got a big year coming up. I want to be able to do a lot of things, and … just being able to help this team win is exciting for me.”
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) July 16, 2020
Type-1 diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. While current data suggests people with Type-1 diabetes aren’t any more likely to contract COVID-19, they do face a higher chance of experiencing serious complications if they do get it, according to the American Diabetes Association.
This isn’t the first time Andrews has talked about his diabetes in correlation with COVID-19. In a video call with reporters in March, Andrews sounded pretty confident about his health.
“So, just like everybody else, I’m staying smart, I’m staying inside, I’m social distancing myself from other people. That’s all you can do. Everyone has to do their jobs and stay smart and listen to their health officials during this time, and I think we’re going to be alright if we do that.”
Baltimore is expected to have a big year, due in no small part to the role Andrews played in 2019. He led the Ravens with 64 receptions and 852 receiving yards while also scoring 10 receiving touchdowns over 15 games. Only four tight ends in the NFL had more yards than Andrews.
According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, as of last Friday 72 NFL players have knowingly tested positive for the coronavirus. However, this is before mandatory testing has been carried out, so there’s a chance more players have contracted the virus but are asymptomatic. The virus is not going away, and the NFL may eventually have to accept that the 2020 season is not going to happen. But if the decision was left up to the players, Mark Andrews seems as though he’d like to suit up and get on the field.
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