On the Wednesday episode of the Purple Playbook, a Baltimore Ravens radio show, Ravens TE Isaiah Likely was the guest of the honor. Filmed in front a live audience, he was asked questions about his injury timeline and when he’d return. “Very soon,” he replied with a big grin, leaning forward in his seat as his response was met with cheers from the Baltimore faithful.
Likely broke his foot during a drill in training camp and underwent surgery to repair it. He’s just starting to return to practice, though he’s been limited to individual work on the side and hasn’t yet rejoined full team activities. Because he wasn’t placed on Injured Reserve (IR) to start the season, there’s no minimum numbers of games he’s forced to miss. As soon as he’s healthy, he’ll play, and in theory that could be as soon as Monday night against the Lions.
The Ravens love to run two tight-end sets with some combination of Likely, Mark Andrews, and Charlie Kolar, among others. With Likely out, they’ve been forced to run some odd personnel groupings and the running game has suffered. Baltimore will be thrilled to get Likely back, whenever he’s able.
Baltimore Ravens TE Isaiah Likely on His Injury
Al Bello/GettyBALTIMORE, MARYLAND – JANUARY 11: Isaiah Likely #80 of the Baltimore Ravens is tackled by Cameron Sutton #20 of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter during the AFC Wild Card Playoff at M&T Bank Stadium on January 11, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
“Yeah, I mean, just had a one-on-one with one of our players, [Ravens safety Sanoussi Kane], caught a ball landed on my ankle a little wrong,” Likely said. “[Kane] was trying to make a great play on the ball, ended up stepping on my foot, always by accident.”
“Grabbed my foot, felt like I couldn’t put pressure on it. Went inside, got an MRI, seeing that I’d cracked my fifth metatarsal. Got surgery, got the time stamp. Then, a little too patient, obviously talking to [Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh]. Trying to get back, but obviously knowing the end-all, endgame, is to make sure I’m good down the road. So taking it week by week, and right now just itching to get back out there.”
“I feel like people don’t really understand the joy people really get from playing football until it’s taken away from you. That’s been really probably the hardest part, playing this game since I [was] four years old. I mean there’s always the soreness, or being tired, or being a little hurt. But when you’re injured and physically not able to do something, that’s when it’s hurting. Because you see your teammates out there, you see the fun, the brotherhood that you formed, and you’re not out there to be able to have fun.
Isaiah Likely on the Baltimore Ravens Offense’s Success
That just shows you the testament of the offseason everybody’s been putting in on offense,” Likely said on the Baltimore Ravens scoring 40 points in back-to-back weeks to open the season. Really just being able to score 40 points in the NFL is hard, week after week.
“And there’s some really good defenses that we’ve played. Showing you we can run the ball, we can pass the ball. We’ve got playmakers from the receivers to the tight ends, to the o-line doing their job, and really from the running backs doing their job. Everybody’s just on one accord.”
Ravens TE Isaiah Likely Delivers 2-Word Update on Return From Injury