Anquan Boldin

Anquan Kenmile Boldin  (born October 3, 1980 in Pahokee, Florida) is an American football wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State.

Boldin was the 2003 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and has been selected to three Pro Bowls.

Arizona Cardinals
As a rookie Boldin set an NFL record for most receiving yards by a rookie in his first game (217), tied Billy Sims for most yards from scrimmage by a rookie in his first game (217), and holds the NFL record for most receptions in the first 26 games of an NFL career (157). He is also the fastest to record 300 career receptions (47 games) and finished the season with 101 catches, 1,377 receiving yards, and eight scores. Boldin was the only rookie selected to the 2004 Pro Bowl. In 2005 despite missing time with an injury, Boldin still caught more than 100 passes for over 1,400 yards. Arguably his finest moment came against the San Francisco 49ers on December 4 when he broke several tackles and scored the game-winning touchdown in a 17-10 win. That year, he and fellow wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald became only the third duo from the same team to each catch over 100 receptions in addition to topping the 1,400-yard mark, only the third duo to achieve that in NFL history. They joined Detroit's Herman Moore and Brett Perriman, who accomplished the feat in 1995, and St. Louis' Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce, who did it in 2000.

After compiling 83 catches, 1203 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns in 2006, Boldin and was selected to play in his second Pro Bowl.

Boldin was named the offensive captain for the Cardinals for the 2007 season and became the quickest player in NFL history to compile 400 receptions during the season too.

On September 28, 2008, Boldin was carted off the field after a violent helmet-to-helmet collision in the end zone with 27 seconds remaining in the Cardinals’ 56–35 loss to the New York Jets. While attempting to catch a long pass from Kurt Warner, Boldin was hit in the back by free safety Kerry Rhodes and then took a helmet-to-face shot from strong safety Eric Smith, knocking them both unconscious. Smith was able to get up after a few moments. After several minutes, Boldin was placed on a stretcher and carted off the field. He left the game having caught 10 balls for 119 yards and a touchdown. On October 4, 2008, coach Ken Whisenhunt announced that Boldin would be out for an indefinite time period with fractured paranasal sinuses. Boldin returned three weeks later and caught 9 passes for 63 yards and two touchdowns against the Carolina Panthers. Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston, who filled in for the injured Boldin, became the fifth 1,000 yard receiving trio in NFL history.

In December, 2008, he became the fastest player in NFL history to have 500 receptions. On January 3, 2010, in his first post-season game, against the Atlanta Falcons in the wildcard round, Boldin had a 71-yard catch and run for a touchdown. In the Super Bowl XLIII loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Boldin caught 8 passes for 84 yards.

On May 26, 2009, according to ESPN's Mike Sando, Anquan Boldin fired agent Drew Rosenhaus. He later hired agent Tom Condon.

On November 15, 2009 in a game against the Seattle Seahawks, Boldin became the fifth-fastest NFL player ever to gain 7,000 receiving yards.

Baltimore Ravens
On March 5, 2010 Boldin was traded to the Baltimore Ravens for the Ravens third, fourth and fifth round picks in the 2010 NFL Draft. Boldin agreed to a three-year deal worth $25 million, in addition to the one year he had left on his then-current deal, bringing the total deal to $28 million over 4 years, with $10 million guaranteed. On September 26, 2010, against the Cleveland Browns, in a game where he caught eight passes for 142 yards and three touchdowns, he became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 600 receptions, doing so in just 98 games. Boldin was eventually awarded AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for his performance. Boldin scored 7 TDs in his first year with the Ravens. He had 836 yards through the air as well, on 64 receptions.

In 2011, Boldin had 57 receptions for 887 yards and only three touchdowns. He sometimes struggled with dropped passes. Boldin did record a very desperately needed one-handed catch in the Divisional Playoff Game against the Houston Texans. In that game he also touched the ball four times. He had 73 total yards. He averaged 18.3 yards per catch, with his longest catch being 28 yards. Boldin also had one touchdown. The Ravens won that game 20-13. On January 22, 2012, in the AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots, Boldin recorded 6 receptions and 101 receiving yards but the Ravens lost 23-20.

NFL records

 * Most receptions in a rookie season: 101
 * Most receiving yards in first career game: 217
 * Most receptions in the first 26 games of an NFL career: 157
 * Most receiving yards in a rookie season: 1,377
 * Fastest to record 400 career receptions (in 67 games)
 * Fastest to record 500 career receptions (in 80 games)
 * Fastest to record 600 career receptions (in 98 games)

Cardinals franchise records

 * Most seasons with 100+ receptions: 2 (tied with Larry Fitzgerald)
 * Best receiving yards per game average (season): 100.1 (2005)
 * Best receptions per game average (season): 7.4 (2008)
 * Best receptions per game average (career): 6.2

Personal
Boldin is the cousin of CFL All-Star defensive back Korey Banks. He also has a brother, DJ Boldin, who also plays in the CFL for the Toronto Argonauts. Mentored by Cambridge lions middle linebacker Drew Walden @theDrewWalden Known associate of the Chad Herrington

Boldin's son, Anquan, Jr., was born in 2004.

Boldin is mentioned in Lil B's song "Oakland Tech" on the Obama Basedgod Album.