Above all things, the goal of a preseason game is to get out of it healthy. Unfortunately, that can’t always happen. The Baltimore Ravens learned that lesson the hard way during Saturday’s game against the Washington Commanders. There was an apparently serious and potentially season-ending injury suffered by one of the Ravens — the mascot, Poe.
At halftime, the Ravens held a game pitting youth football players against Mascots. Poe was carrying the ball and was tackled. It was quickly apparent that something was wrong, as Poe quickly came up holding his knee. He was tended to by medical personnel and ultimately carted off of the field.
The Ravens mascot injury in HD #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/kZb8ThUlNI
— Darren M. Haynes (@DarrenMHaynes) August 28, 2022
The situation is clearly both unfortunate and funny. Though, whether it’s equal parts unfortunate and funny or if it slants harder towards one is up to the individual.
Judging by the reaction of the NFL world, most came down on the funny side of the fence.
And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting https://t.co/uLYuZPM4qC
— Jason Gay (@jasongay) August 28, 2022
An Adam Schefter tweet tomorrow saying the Ravens mascot tore his ACL and is out for the season would be a whole new level
— DC Sports 💯 (@_mattschoen_) August 28, 2022
Poe knew it was over as soon as he got on the cart. Just look at those mournful eyes.https://t.co/VPtx4NLhmf
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) August 28, 2022
The Ravens mascot is being carted off. This turned dark. pic.twitter.com/9Zm8aXhsEh
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) August 28, 2022
Damn. I drafted the Ravens mascot in the 1st round. This sucks https://t.co/MqPQVgP0V6
— Paul Scheer (@paulscheer) August 28, 2022
How do you explain to your real job that you tore your ACL as the ravens mascot
— Breeze Butler (@CoachBreeze_) August 28, 2022
It was a busy day for mascots on the gridiron. There was a similar Mascots vs. Youth Football Players game during Saturday’s preseason game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Atlanta Falcons. Blooper, the Atlanta Braves mascot, was on the field and looked like a mascot possessed, plowing through would-be tacklers.
We do, however, have to honor Poe’s commitment to his job. It certainly would have been understandable for him to take off his mask when being attended to. But he did no such thing.
[Darren M. Haynes on Twitter]
