Anquan Boldin Questions Ravens Loyalty, Refuses to Take Pay Cut
By Josh Hill
Anquan Boldin has been all over the place in free agency on Saturday, and most of it has been bad news for the Ravens. Earlier last month, Boldin said that if he was cut by the Ravens he’d retire but the receiver has backed off that claim and now says that he’s going to play another year — but he’s not taking a pay cut.
It’s not the first time Boldin has said he’s not messing with his contract but it’s the first time he’s started to call into question the Ravens loyalty to him.
“When I signed with the Ravens, I signed for four years,” Boldin told USA TODAY Sports on Saturday. “With me, it’s all about principles. At no point, no matter how well I played, would I come back to the table and say, ‘I need more money.'”
While he would never ask for more money, Boldin says it’s only respectful for the Ravens to not ask him to take a pay cut, especially since he did turn in one of the finer season’s he’s had in the NFL. But after saying he wouldn’t ask for more money from the Ravens, Boldin said that he’s not sure if the team really appreciates him from a financial standpoint.
“I know how the Ravens feel about me, from a coaching standpoint, from an organizational standpoint, from guys in the locker room. But sometimes the business side doesn’t express that.”
As for the claims that he’ll retire, Boldin has backed off that claim and a person close to him told USA Today that while Boldin would love to stay with the Ravens, he’s not going to refuse a contract from another contender if he’s released.
“I think he was trying to express loyalty to them,” the person said. “I know that he’s hoping to stay with them, but he’s willing to go someplace else.”