Anquan Boldin Quit the NFL to Get Political and It’s Working

Boldin founded 'Players Coalition' to get word out on social and racial injustice.

If you’re a veteran fantasy football hack, you’ll remember the name Anquan Boldin. The offensive rookie of the year in ’03, he was a fantasy stud for the Arizona Cardinals, and went on to have a highly successful NFL career, winning a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens.

But before this season started, he quit, and it had nothing to do with ego or salary or concussions.

It had everything to do with social and racial injustice, and while Boldin was never part of Colin Kaepernick‘s ever-growing army of sideline protesters, he was a vocal supporter of his former quarterback (yep, he was on the San Francisco 49ers last year, when this all started). He was worried that the protesters’ message would get muddled over time, and you know what? He was right.

Now, he’s devoted his retirement to speaking out on myriad topics, sort of becoming the spokesperson for those players who might not be so willing to say some of the things he can from his side of the pulpit. For example, he recently endorsed a 10-page memo select players sent to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell asking for an “Activism Awareness Month.”

This activism was spurred on, in part, by Boldin’s world travels, especially to Africa, where he realized he had a higher calling and could do good. That, and the fatal police-involved shooting of his cousin, which was unknowingly recorded via AT&T roadside assistance (his cousin had been pulled over), and led the policeman to be fired. The cop’s awaiting prosecution.

Boldin also founded the “Players Coalition,” an organization of other socially concerned or activist players, and they’ve already met with the Congressional Black Caucus and other Congressmen, including House Speaker Paul Ryan’s staffers. They even got an invite to Trump’s White House, but declined.

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