Matt Hibner’s stat line in the Ravens’ 34-31 victory over the Dallas Cowboys was unremarkable on the surface: just two catches for 23 yards. However, one of those receptions resulted in his first career touchdown and gave Baltimore a 31-28 lead with less than two minutes remaining. It continued the early trend of the rookie tight end making the most of his limited opportunities.
Carving of Duty
When veteran tight end Mark Andrews temporarily left the game with a hand injury, Baltimore needed its younger tight ends to step up. Hibner did exactly that, hauling in a 21-yard reception in the third quarter before scoring the go-ahead touchdown later in the game. He also flashed some ability as a blocker in his limited snaps; it was most on display in his NFL debut against the Indianapolis Colts.
With Andrews still entrenched as Baltimore’s top receiving option at tight end, Hibner is unlikely to command a large portion of the passing game anytime soon. However, Declan Doyle has already shown a willingness to put the rookie on the field in meaningful situations, hardly a small feat for a fourth-round draft pick.
Trust seems to be mutual. After the game, Hibner had high praise for his teammates and coaching staff.
“[It was] incredible, man. [I feel] very happy I feel like it’s just kind of a culmination of a lot of work, my teammates believing in me and my coaches believing in me. To see it come to fruition the moment it did was such a surreal feeling.”