Anquan Boldin has retired from the NFL after 14 seasons, and he has taken the humanitarian approach in his retirement. He wants to spend more time working on the things that mean the most to him, and he will have a long life after football helping people. It is fair to look back at the man who made the Cardinals offense that much more dangerous, who paired with Joe Flacco for an unforgettable Super Bowl run, and who was a star in his own right when he was at Florida State.
Florida State standout
Boldin was a star at Florida State where he showed that he was tough enough to run inside routes while running up the field to beat defensive backs.
He was a standout who made the NFL wonder where he could be used best, and he was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals to play with Larry Fitzgerald. The two of them together drug the Cardinals to a Super Bowl with Kurt Warner, and that is still one of the most-entertaining offenses we have ever seen. His talent took him quite a long way, and his toughness made him a perfect match for the Ravens.
Winning a Super Bowl
Boldin was key in the offense that won a Super Bowl over the 49ers, and he was the player who was often sent across the middle to catch tough passes. He has one of the biggest and strongest bodies at the position, and he played inside for much of his career where smaller guys simply could not go.
He was critical for the Ravens in that Super Bowl win, and he fit in well with a defense that featured brutes such as Ray Lewis and Ed Reed.
His charity work matters
Boldin recently signed with the Bills to carry on with what would have been his 15th year in the league, and it simply was time for him to hang it up. He wanted to have time to devote to his Charity Work, and he has shown that there is a life after football.
The question of whether football players should be advocates has been answered many times over by players who are doing fine work in their communities. Boldin will continue to do just that, and he should be an example for others who wish to do more work near their homes.
There are many people who will take Boldin as an example of someone who can dedicate their life to football for a time before they must move on to do other things.
Boldin has won the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, and he has been working on humanitarian charity work for many years. He has proved that there is a life after football, and he is shining a light on the social issues that we face in our current day.
