OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Baltimore Ravens are making a feathered addition to their injured reserve list.
In a video posted on Twitter on Thursday, coach John Harbaugh announced that Poe, the team's bird mascot, was going on IR. Poe was carted off the field at halftime of the Ravens' preseason game against Washington last weekend. Poe was joined by other mascots for a halftime game before being injured.
On Sunday, the Ravens tweeted a picture of the mascot with ice on his left knee, saying he was “resting comfortably in his perch awaiting further test results.”
In his video Thursday, Harbaugh said Poe had a season-ending injury to his drumstick, and the team would find a replacement.
“We're going to get right into evaluating our options and see where we go next,” Harbaugh said. “See if we can find somebody to replace Poe.”
The injury occurred when Poe was tackled from behind and fell to the ground. The Ravens mascot lay on the field for nearly five minutes. According to a person close to the team, the medical staff was scrambling to figure out where the trainers were located and where to find the medical cart. Usually, during halftime, the trainers and medical carts are not needed. During that time, even Ravens coach John Harbaugh walked onto the field to check on the team mascot.
Poe had to be lifted and carried onto the medical cart by three people to keep his leg stabilized. As the Ravens mascot was carted off, he waved to the fans, similar to what most NFL players do when they are carted off to the locker room with an injury.
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