Anquan Boldin has officially announced his retirement from the NFL after 14 seasons, including seven sensational seasons with the Arizona Cardinals.
Boldin signed with the Buffalo Bills earlier this month but after just 13 days he decided to hang 'em up.
He released the following statement per ESPN.com,
"Football has afforded me a platform throughout my career to have a greater impact on my humanitarian work, and at this time, I feel drawn to make the larger fight for human rights a priority," Boldin said in a statement to ESPN.com. "My life's purpose is bigger than football."
The Bills were hoping the veteran wide receiver could help fill in the void left by Sammy Watkins, who the team traded to the LA Rams earlier this month, and mentor rookie wideout Zay Jones. Bills GM Brandon Beane released the following statement regarding Boldin's retirement.
Per ESPN,
"We respect Anquan's decision to retire from the NFL," Bills GM Brandon Beane said. "We appreciate the time he gave us over the past two weeks. He is one of the best receivers to play this game and wish him and his family all the best moving forward."
According to ESPN, Anquan Boldin has spent parts of the last two years on Capitol Hill fighting for criminal justice reform. His cousin, Corey Jones, was shot to death by a plainclothes police officer in 2015 after Jones' van broke down on the side of a South Florida highway.
The 36-year old wide receiver was drafted by the Cardinals in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft and spent his first seven seasons there before moving on to Baltimore, San Francisco and, most recently, the Detroit Lions.
Over the course of his 14-year NFL career, Bolding racked up 13,779 receiving yards on 1,076 receptions with 82 touchdowns. His 13,779 receiving yards ranks 14th all time in NFL history. That said, his work off the field can not be overlooked.
He won the NFL's Walter Payton Award in 2016 for his charitable works off the field as well as his play on the field. He and his wife, Dionne, have helped thousands of families by providing educational and life opportunities, and they established an endowment that has supported 15 four-year college scholarships since 2014.
