In an interview Monday on SiriusXM NFL Radio, wide receiver Anquan Boldin said the events in Charlottesville, Virginia, helped him realize there are things more important than football.
Boldin retired abruptly Sunday after signing with the Buffalo Bills two weeks earlier.
“At this time, I feel drawn to make the larger fight for human rights a priority,” he said in a statement. “My life’s purpose is bigger than football.”
The 36-year-old receiver expanded on his thoughts Monday and said he had been mulling the decision for some time.
“I always felt like football would be my passion, football would get me past a lot of things,” Boldin said, Pro Football Talk reported. “But just seeing things that transpired over the last week or so, I mean, I think for me, there’s something bigger than football at this point. It’s kind of shocking for me to say that because football has been something that I’ve dedicated my life to.”
The Bills wished Boldin the best in a statement.
Statement from GM Brandon Beane on Anquan Boldin. pic.twitter.com/G8k6Tx0HUN
— Buffalo Bills (@buffalobills) August 21, 2017
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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