NFL teams
Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff Writer 8y

Ravens to put Dennis Pitta (hip) on season-ending IR, cite his 'safety'

NFL, Baltimore Ravens

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Dennis Pitta will be placed on season-ending injured reserve Wednesday, but the Baltimore Ravens tight end has not decided whether to call it a career.

"There are no plans to retire at this time," said Pitta, who has had two major hip surgeries in the previous two years. "I'm going to continue to rehab, and it's something we have to continue to re-evaluate at the end of the year."

Somber and reflective, Pitta made it clear that he wanted to return this season. But after his three-week window of practicing, he said it was prohibitive for him to play the remaining eight games after talking to doctors Tuesday.

"[The right hip] didn't quite respond the way we had hoped," said Pitta, who had been on the physically unable to perform list all season. "Sitting down with doctors over the last couple of days, we decided it was certainly too much of a risk at this time and too unsafe to take the field.

"That was a decision that we made collectively. At the end of the day, we can't ignore what sound medical science has to say."

Pitta had the option to override the medical recommendations, sources told ESPN, and push to return from the PUP list. Ravens coach John Harbaugh left the decision to Pitta, according to sources.

Pitta, who has fractured his right hip in both of the past two seasons, had impressed Ravens officials with his practice performance over the past three weeks.

"I was hoping that he'd be able to play," Harbaugh said. "But the other thing that overrides is the fact that you want what's best for the player. His safety and quality of life overrides all of it. It's not really close."

The Ravens signed Pitta to a five-year, $32 million deal that included $16 million guaranteed during the 2013 offseason. Since that contract, Pitta has played in seven games, catching 36 passes and scoring one touchdown. Pitta is guaranteed $4 million this season, whether he plays or not.

Baltimore has depth at tight end, drafting three players -- Crockett Gillmore, Maxx Williams and Nick Boyle -- at that position the past two years. They have combined for 43 catches for 443 yards and three touchdowns and a two-point conversion.

ESPN's Ed Werder contributed to this report.

^ Back to Top ^