Detroit
Lions wide receiver Anquan Boldin saw his 14th season end last night
with a loss in Seattle. However, the wide receiver continues to make an impact
even in this late stage of his career. Not many casual fans know of how
consistent and effective Boldin has been through his career. A few factors have
contributed to him not getting the shine that he deserves. Playing alongside
great future Hall of Famers and playing for multiple teams are just a couple of
factors that have contributed to him being underrated. When it comes to the
Hall of Fame, Anquan Boldin will be a lock once he becomes eligible for
consideration.
Boldin
started off his career in 2003 with the Arizona Cardinals. He was an immediate
threat catching 101 passes for over 1,300 yards in his rookie season. This set
an NFL record for most receiving yards for a rookie wide receiver. Boldin was
the only rookie to go to the Pro Bowl in 2004. He did have a bit of a sophomore
slump in his 2nd year, however, this is mainly due to an injury he
suffered. Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald formed a premier wide receiver tandem of
the NFL causing defenders to have fits whenever defenses played Arizona. During
his Arizona tenure, he became the fastest player in NFL history to catch 500
career receptions. Unfortunately, the casual NFL fan seems to forget how vital
he was to Arizona’s offense, due in part to the great Larry Fitzgerald and the
insane amount of success he has obtained throughout his career. However, Boldin’s
story did not end in Arizona.
In
2010, Anquan Boldin found himself with the Baltimore Ravens. He immediately
became a favorite target for quarterback Joe Flacco, catching 7 passes for 110
yards in his Ravens debut. His first year as a Raven was the year he caught the
most touchdown passes in his Baltimore tenure receiving 7 touchdowns. Boldin
eventually secured his first Super Bowl ring with the Ravens in 2012, after
having one of the best games for a wide receiver against the 49ers. In the
Super Bowl, he caught 6 passes for 104 yards and a touchdown. This same season
was the year Boldin had his highest amount of passing yards (921), since his
final year in Arizona. Ironically, he was traded to San Francisco the following off-season. He was a key contributor for them as well. Boldin had over 1,000 yards
receiving in 2 out of his 3 years as a 49er. Now he is playing for the Detroit
Lions, which has made him a bit of a journeyman. He was a weapon for Matthew
Stafford this year catching 8 touchdowns on the season. Unfortunately, the amount of teams he has now
played for may also have a part in him being overlooked. Nevertheless, Anquan
Boldin is not a 1 time Super Bowl Champion and 3 time Pro Bowler for nothing.
Anquan
Boldin makes an impact off the field as well. Last season, he won the Walter
Peyton Man of the Year Award. This award honors a player’s volunteer work while
he excels on the football field. Despite playing with future Hall of Famer’s
like Larry Fitzgerald, Joe Flacco, and Patrick Willis, Boldin’s skill-set has
been massively underrated. Yes, the man is a bit of a journeyman, but in today’s
NFL, that is fairly common anymore. Boldin’s resume boasts his accomplishments
and shows why he belongs in the Hall of Fame one day. The man is a Super Bowl
Champion, 3 time Pro Bowler, Walter Peyton Man of the Year recipient, and
former Rookie of the Year, which tells why Anquan Boldin is one of the best
receivers of our time.
