Bills grant WR Boldin permission to pursue trade before deadline

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Turns out receiver Anquan Boldin might not be done playing.

A person with direct knowledge of the decision confirmed to The Associated Press on Thursday that the Buffalo Bills granted Boldin permission to explore the possibility of being traded to another team.

The Bills hold the rights to Boldin after they signed him to a one-year contract on Aug. 7. The 37-year-old player abruptly retired two weeks later by saying he wanted to focus on his charitable causes and social justice issues.

The timing of Boldin’s decision to considering continuing to play comes with the NFL trading deadline set for Tuesday.

Though Boldin has permission to speak to teams, the Bills would have to approve any trade offer.

This is a considerable change of heart for Boldin, who dismissed the possibility he might reconsider retiring and choose to play for a contender later in the season.

Boldin said he didn’t make his decision to retire overnight and noted it was spurred by the deadly and racially charged protests that occurred in Charlottesville, Va.

Boldin has been actively involved in numerous causes over the past two months.

The NFL’s 2015 Walter Payton Man of the Year, Boldin is no stranger to activism and humanitarian causes. Boldin was out of football before signing with Buffalo. He spent last season with Detroit, where he had 67 catches for 584 yards and eight touchdowns in 16 games.

Overall, he ranks in the top four among active receivers with 1,076 catches, 13,779 yards receiving and 82 touchdowns receiving.