Ravens’ Tyler Huntley is clutch for AFC

Posted on by

10:43 PM ET

  • Stephen HolderESPN

HENDERSON, Nevada — Baltimore Ravens backup quarterback Tyler Huntley did not ask for an invite to the Professional Bowl Video games, and he actually did not anticipate the jokes that have been advised at his expense when he was named.

However that does not imply Huntley would cross on making an attempt to profit from his alternative.

Ridiculed by some for his addition as a alternative for the Buffalo Payments’ Josh Allen, Huntley shook off the jokes and loved the possibility to rub shoulders with the sport’s greatest gamers.

“It kind of feels like I’m in a movie right now,” Huntley mentioned Thursday evening after delivering a stable efficiency within the precision passing portion of the abilities competitors. “I’m still just taking it all in.”

Huntley, who began simply 4 video games and threw two touchdowns in reduction of injured Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, acquired the nod when a sequence of AFC quarterbacks have been unable to take part or declined to participate. The record included Allen; Patrick Mahomes, whose Kansas Metropolis Chiefs are within the Tremendous Bowl; the Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa, who solely not too long ago was cleared from concussion protocol; and the Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow, whose group was eradicated Sunday within the AFC title recreation.

That prompted important dialogue on social media about whether or not Huntley belonged. However Huntley mentioned he was in a position to keep away from feeding into that dialog.

“I just look at my opportunities and where my life is headed,” he mentioned. “I just appreciate everything that is going on. … I got to meet some of the legends. It’s just crazy how everything worked out.”

Amongst these legends: Ravens Corridor of Famer Ray Lewis, who’s serving because the AFC’s defensive coordinator. Lewis emerged from the locker room along with his arm round Huntley and chatted with him as they made their option to the sphere.

Huntley completed second within the precision passing contest that requires quarterbacks to hit numerous targets to build up factors. Huntley racked up 21 factors, behind solely Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, who crushed the occasion and completed with 31 factors.

“It felt good,” Huntley mentioned.

Carr’s efficiency was quite spectacular, but it surely might have been the home-field benefit. The occasion, held on the Raiders follow facility, made Carr really feel at dwelling (regardless that he mentioned afterward that he nonetheless anticipates parting methods with the group within the coming weeks).

“I wanted that one so bad,” Carr mentioned. “My goal today was to hit them all, so hopefully I’ll come back and do that at some point.”

Mentioned AFC coach Peyton Manning: “This is his facility. I wanted him to go last. I knew he threw a lot of completions in here.”

Total, the AFC owned the day.

Factors scored within the expertise competitions, which proceed Sunday and can precede the flag soccer portion of the week, will probably be rolled over into Sunday and go towards figuring out the profitable convention.

The AFC led 9-3 after profitable the precision passing contest, the longest drive and the lightning spherical that included a sequence of challenges.

Buffalo Payments security Jordan Poyer gained the longest drive competitors with a 320-yard tee shot earlier Thursday. Vikings tight finish T.J. Hockenson was second with a 316-yard drive.

The NFC’s lone victory got here in dodgeball.

Nonetheless to return Sunday: The continuation of the perfect catch competitors, the gridiron gauntlet, kick tac toe, transfer the chains and the three flag soccer video games.