NFL Notes: Anquan Boldin, 49ers, Broncos, Vikings

Anquan Boldin

Veteran WR Anquan Boldin explained his recent decision to surprisingly retire from the NFL, despite just recently signing with the Bills, on Monday during an appearance on Sirius XM NFL Radio.

“It wasn’t a decision that I made all of a sudden,” Boldin said, via Pro Football Talk. “It was something that I had been dealing with for a couple years. I always felt like football would be my passion, football would get me past a lot of things. When I stepped up to the podium, what I said was honestly true. 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. I can remember as a kid wanting to get to the NFL and wanting to be a professional football player. I dedicated my life to that and I never thought anything would take the place of that passion, but for me it has.”

When asked about the possibility of returning to the NFL later on in the year, Boldin said he is “done with the sport of football.”

49ers

49ers HC Kyle Shanahan says they plan to put DB Jimmie Ward (hamstring) through workouts this week to see if he can return from the PUP list on Wednesday.

“We’re going to put him through again, we put him through a hard workout last week, tomorrow we’re going to have our DB coach Jeff Hafley go out there and really take him through a hard workout that’s more pertained to exactly football,” Shanahan said, via Nick Wagoner of ESPN. “So we’re going to see how he responds to that on Monday and Tuesday and hopefully we’ll get him ready to go by Wednesday.”

Broncos

• While a number of reporters have said that Trevor Siemian is likely to be named the Broncos’ starting quarterback this week, Michael Lombardi says that his sources have told him it “was not close.”

Vikings

• Chris Tomasson reports that Vikings QB Taylor Heinicke has a small injury and should just miss few days of practice. According to Tomasson, doctors don’t want Heinicke to throw for few days.
• The Vikings recently signed QB Mitch Leidner to a contract. (NFLTR)