Ex-49er Boldin retires, cites desire for activism
Wide receiver Anquan Boldin abruptly announced his retirement just less than two weeks after signing with Buffalo.
In a statement he gave to ESPN to announce his retirement, Boldin said, “Football has afforded me a platform throughout my career to have a greater impact on my humanitarian work. At this time, I feel drawn to make the larger fight for human rights a priority. My life’s purpose is bigger than football.”
Boldin has a namesake foundation that provides education and life opportunities for underprivileged youth. He also has spent the past few years helping Oxfam America’s relief efforts in Africa.
For those efforts, he was the NFL’s 2015 Walter Payton Man of the Year winner with the 49ers, with whom he spent three seasons, and he ranks in the top four among active receivers with 1,076 catches, 13,779 yards receiving and 82 touchdowns receiving. He helped the Ravens win the Super Bowl in February 2013.
“We appreciate the time he gave us over the past two weeks,” general manager Brandon Beane said in a statement released by the Bills on Sunday night. “He is one of the best receivers to play this game and we wish him and his family all the best moving forward.”
Boldin was supposed to fill a top-three spot alongside Jordan Matthews and rookie secondround draft pick Zay Jones. His retirement leaves ex-Raiders Rod Streater and Andre Holmes and Philly Brown competing for an increased role in an offense headed by quarterback Tyrod Taylor.
Sunday’s games: Rookie running back James Conner set up Pittsburgh’s winning fourthquarter touchdown pass in the Steelers’ 17-13 exhibition victory over the visiting Atlanta Falcons. Conner, the University of Pittsburgh alum who overcame Hodgkin’s lymphoma and a serious right knee injury to reach the NFL, broke off runs of 17 and 19 yards, leading to Bart Houston’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Justin Hunter. Matt Ryan led the Falcons to a touchdown in his only series . ... Rookie Alvin Kamara ran for a 50-yard touchdown and the New Orleans Saints beat the Los Angeles Chargers 13-7 in Carson (Los Angeles County). Safety Dexter McCoil intercepted Ryan Nassib’s fourth-quarter pass and returned it 99 yards for the Chargers’ TD. Siemian appears to be No. 1: Even though head coach Vance Joseph isn’t saying it, steady and solid Trevor Siemian appears to have won the Broncos’ quarterback derby for the second straight summer.
The seventh-rounder from Northwestern has outplayed 2016 first-round pick Paxton Lynch of Memphis, whose flashes of athleticism and agility remain overshadowed by poor decisions and bad throws.
Joseph declined to declare a winner in this QB competition following Denver’s 33-14 preseason win over the 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on Saturday night.
“I saw Paxton make some plays with his legs, which he should. He’s an athlete. And Trevor, he was solid . ... He made good decisions,” Joseph said.
Briefly: Washington activated tight end Jordan Reed from the physically-unable-to-perform list for an injury to the big toe on his left foot . ... The Jaguars signed running back DuJuan Harris, who spent parts of the past two seasons in San Francisco. In 12 games with the 49ers, Harris carried 65 times for 278 yards.