PLAYBOOK
NFL
+
Go back to the huge thirdand-one in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl. How on earth did you catch that ball? After Joe [Flacco] checked from a run play to a pass, I knew he was coming my way. The route was a slant-and-go, but my guy [corner Carlos Rogers] was playing inside, so
THE NEXT ROUND
OPEN RECEIVER
SUPER BOWL CHAMP ANQUAN BOLDIN ON BERNARD POLLARD, YOUTH FOOTBALL AND PONZI SCHEMES. By Eddie Matz
I had to adjust. I hesitated a little to get him to shuffle his feet and then ran a fade route. We practice that backshoulder throw all the time. With no Ray Lewis, can the Ravens repeat? I think so. You can’t replace Ray, but the team has a lot of young talent. People might not know about a guy like Dannell Ellerbe, but he’s one of the best young linebackers in the NFL. He was key to us winning this year. You’ve said you’d rather retire than go to another team. You really mean that? I’m not playing for money. I’m not chasing a championship. I don’t play for individual accolades. I’m set. There’s nothing else I have to prove. Your teammate, safety Bernard Pollard, has emerged as one of the biggest hitters in football. Do you think he plays the game too violently? It’s tough for defenders now with how fast the game is being played. There are certain situations where a receiver lowers his head because he’s about to get hit, and you end up getting flagged because he ducked. Even me as a blocker, I’m not worried about where I’m hitting the guy. I just have to make the block, and I’ll deal with the consequences later.
ARIES SPEARS CHATS WITH FANS FROM ACROSS THE NATION IN THE NEXT ROUND AT … es.pn/thenextround
You have an 8-year-old son. Do you let him play tackle football? Not at that age. In the leagues I’ve seen, I don’t feel kids are being taught how to properly tackle. I don’t have a specific age when I think he’ll be ready. I was playing on sandlots until I got to high school. You and Larry Fitzgerald traveled to Ethiopia last offseason. What’s the plan this year? We’re going to Senegal this time with Oxfam, a group that does a lot of relief efforts around the world. I’m bringing along Torrey Smith. You won the Super Bowl, then came reports that you were being deposed in a lawsuit regarding a Ponzi scheme. What is your reaction? The people writing about it have no idea. That’s what sucks about the media. They make a story out of whatever they can. People read those stories and make assumptions. But I don’t worry about it because I’m not in connection with any Ponzi scheme. What will you miss the most when you do retire? The relationships. There’s nothing like the atmosphere in a locker room. If you’ve never played football, you can’t really understand it.
ON THE UPSWING
Anquan Boldin’s resurgent postseason (380 yards, four TDs) carried the Ravens to a Super Bowl win. Here are five other NFL vets who showed in 2012 they aren’t done yet.
RUSHING OR RECEIVING YARDS*
MARK J. REBILAS/USA TODAY SPORTS
RB ADRIAN PETERSON, 27
2,000
WR ANDRE JOHNSON, 31 RB JAMAAL CHARLES, 26 WR REGGIE WAYNE, 34
1,500
1,000 TE GREG OLSEN, 27 500 Ages as of Feb. 26 *Regular-season stats only 2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
SEASON
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012