Behind The Box Score

He just couldn’t stay away from the game. The passion was still there, he is coming back to the Ravens after saying he still had an “intense fire” to play football this season. All of this discussion is about 35-year old Derrick Mason, who is coming out of his short retirement, which was less than a month. “I still have an intense fire inside me, and I want to play… I felt like I had left something undone, and I wanted to finish it. I believe this is a good example for my son and my daughter on how to be thoughtful and also follow through,” The two-time Pro Bowler said of his return.

Mason had a stellar 2008 season, in which he had 80 receptions for 1038 yards, for 5 scores. He also eclipsed the 10,000 yard mark for his career. During the playoffs, he had 12 receptions for 190 yards in three playoff games, and helped the Ravens get to the AFC Championship against the Steelers.”It was a tough decision, but I think it was a good decision for me to come back,” Mason said. “I needed to evaluate my life, football and my career.” Other Ravens had things to say also. “Phew! I’m glad he’s coming back,” TE Todd Heap said. “We were going to miss him a lot if he had retired, but I think he took some time to think about it and make the decision with his family. I was pretty pumped to see him.”