Anquan Boldin

"That's one of the things we've set our eyes on, ending the year on a good note. We want to play our hearts out and get a win."

- Anquan Boldin

Anquan Boldin is a professional wide receiver in the National Football League. Boldin has played for the Cardinals, with who he went to Super Bowl XLIII, the Ravens, with whom he won Super Bowl XLVII, and the 49-ers, with whom he currently plays for. Boldin has been to 17 playoff games including 2 Super Bowls. He has also been to 3 pro bowls.

Early Life
Anquan Kenmile Boldin was born on October 3, 1980 in Pahokee, Florida. Boldin attended Pahokee High School where he played football, baseball, and field. He played as quarterback on the football team. In 2007 he was named to the Florida High School Association All-Century Team, a team compiled of the top 33 players in the 100 year history of high school football in the state of Florida. Boldin attended Florida State University and Hinds Community College. He was converted to wide receiver in order to get more playing time, with only spot duty at QB. Boldin graduated from FSU and was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals.

2003 Rookie Season
Boldin was an immediate success with the Cardinals who was drafted 2nd round, 54th overall. Anquan Boldin was in fact the only bright spot for the team that went 4-12 that season, Boldin was named offensive rookie of the year with 1,377, 101 receptions, and 8 touchdowns. He was the only rookie selected for the 2004 pro bowl.

2005
After the Cardinals drafted Pittsburgh star Larry Fitzgerald it seemed as though Boldin's thunder had been stolen. However, the two became only the third NFL wide receiver duo in history to record over 100 receptions and 1,400 yards each. 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. Boldin would go to his second pro bowl after another 5-11 season for the Cardinals.

2006
After seven consecutive losing seasons the Cardinals added quarterback Kurt Warner to their roster. Despite this the Cardinals posted another 5-11 season and Boldin suffered a disappointing 4 touchdowns. After the season was over, Cardinals owner William Bidwill found that the Cardinals weakness lay in the coaching. Following the losing season, head coch Dennis Green was fired and the Cardinals hired former Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt.

2007
In the '07 season Ken Whisenhunt brought the offense to life. Kurt Warner threw 27 touchdowns, 9 of which were to Boldin and 10 were to Fitzgerald. The Cardinals would snap the 8 season losing streak with an 8-8 record. During the offseason Boldin would go to his third pro bowl being one of five Cardinals to go to the 2008 Pro Bowl (the most players the Cardinals would ever send to a pro bowl). The Cardinals would dominate the pro bowl and Larry Fitzgerald would be pro bowl MVP. Though the Cardinals fell just short of the playoffs, the Cardinals fans would have plenty to cheer for the following season.

2008
The following season the Cardinals would top their offensive stats for the previous season. Anquan Boldin would have a career high touchdowns (11). 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 an illegal 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. Smith was fined $50,000 and suspended one game. Boldin 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. Boldin,Fitzgerald, and Steve Breaston, who filled in for the injured Boldin, became the fifth 1,000 yard receiving trio in NFL history. The Cardinals would dominate the NFC West division and would make their first playoff appearance since the 1998 season. With their first playoff game in their new stadium, the Cardinals wanted to make it special. Boldin helped make it just that while catching a 71 yard touchdown pass in a 30-24 win. It was the Cardinals receiving game that took them to the Super Bowl. Boldin would catch 8 passes for 84 yards in that heartbreaking loss.

2009
The Cardinals had another good season in 2009, sadly, however Boldin was not a part of that only having 4 touchdowns. It became clear at the end of the season that Boldin and Fitzgerald could never fully share the spotlight. After the Cardinals divisional loss to the Saints Boldin was traded to the Baltimore Ravens for only a third and fourth round draft pick.

2010
As the sole star of the Baltimore receiver corps Boldin led the Ravens to another successful season. 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. The Ravens went to the playoffs for the third straight season but would lose in the divisional round to their hated rivals, the Steelers.

2011
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. During the offseason Anquan and former teammate Larry Fitzgerald volunteered to move rocks to create arable land in Ethiopia.

2012
In 2012 Anquan Boldin was set to be a free agent at the end of the season. So in his last season in Baltimore Anquan wanted to make it special. He did just that by taking the Ravens to the playoffs, winning the AFC North at 10-6. On January 6, 2013, in the Wild Card Round of the 2012 Playoffs, Boldin had one of his best postseason performances with the Baltimore Ravens. He caught a 46-yard pass and an 18-yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco in a 24–9 win over the Indianapolis Colts. He also set a franchise record of 145 receiving yards in a postseason game. After a nail-biter overtime win in the divisional round against the Broncos. It would be Boldin and quarterback Joe Flacco (who would have two touchdowns between the two of them) who would help take down the New England Patriots in Foxboro and it would be on to Super Bowl XLVII. Boldin got his first championship title as the Ravens defeated the 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. He had six receptions for a total of 104 yards and one touchdown beating the San Fransisco 49-ers 34-31. During the 2013 offseason, Boldin was asked by the Ravens to take a pay cut to reduce his $6 million cap hit. Boldin refused and was recruited by the 49-ers, the team he beat in the Super Bowl.

2013
Boldin became the new #1 receiver in San Francisco scoring 7 touchdowns. Boldin was able to take his team to the playoffs and continued his playoff streak of 6 seasons. In the Wildcard round the 49-ers would travel to Lambeau field. They would win a surprising 23-20 win in the 5 degree temperature. After taking down the Panthers, the niners would travel to Seattle where it would be game dominated by the defense. Finally Boldin was able to snare a touchdown pass from Collin Kapernick to get them into the game. However just when it seemed as though they might come back "Kaper-pick" threw an interception ending the game 23-17. Boldin would renew his contract during the offseason keeping him in San Fransisco.

2014
The 49-ers fell far from their 3-year streak of going to the NFC Championship going 8-8 and getting whooped by the Seahawks, the Cardinals and even the Rams going 2-4 in their division. One bright spot however was Anquan Boldin getting 1,000 yards receiving yards for the seventh time in his career.

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
 * Fastest to record 200 career receptions (in 34 games)
 * Fastest to record 300 career receptions (in 47 games)
 * 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)The Best Of Anquan Boldin 2008 Season

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