Brandon Bolden

Brandon Bolden, born on January 26, 1990, is an American professional football player specializing in the running back position. Following an impressive career as a college athlete for the Ole Miss Rebels, he transitioned to professional football in 2012, joining the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent.

As a high school player at Scotlandville Magnet High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Bolden demonstrated his athletic prowess by rushing for 886 yards and making 12 touchdowns in his senior year alone. He also excelled as a receiver, catching 12 passes for a total of 256 yards. This performance earned him first-team All-District 5-5A honors, recognition from SuperPrep as an All-Region player, and ranking as the No. 34 best player in Louisiana. Scout.com also ranked him as the No. 93 best running back nationwide. Even though LSU greatly sought his recruitment, he chose to play for the Ole Miss under coach Houston Nutt.

During his time with the Ole Miss Rebels, Brandon Bolden emerged as the team’s starting running back by his sophomore year, despite initial expectations favoring fellow running back Enrique Davis. The 2009 season saw Bolden make 129 carries for a total of 614 yards and four touchdowns. He continued to impress in the 2010 season, averaging close to six yards per carry. However, a broken ankle suffered in a game against BYU in the first game of the 2011 season hampered his performance. Despite this setback, he finished the year with 96 carries for 472 yards and four touchdowns.

In 2012, after going undrafted in the NFL, rumors circulated that he was signed by the Washington Redskins as a free agent. Brandon Bolden dispelled the rumors via a tweet. He was later reported to have signed a free agent deal with the New England Patriots, a surprise considering some predictions had him being drafted in the late rounds.

Bolden’s maiden season with the Patriots was eventful. Despite fumbling the ball twice during the 2012 preseason, he made the 53 man roster. His first touchdown was in a week 3 game with the Baltimore Ravens, and in Week 4, he led the Patriots with 137 yards on 16 carries. He shared accolades with Stevan Ridley, Wes Welker and Rob Gronkowski, all of whom posted impressive performances in the same match, earning him the NFL’s FedEx Ground Player of the Week for Week 4 distinction. Bolden was, however, later suspended for four games for violating the NFL’s PED policies. He completed the season with 56 carries for 274 yards and two touchdowns.

Bolden continued to contribute significantly to the Patriots’ strong performances in subsequent seasons. Notably, in 2015 he was signed to a two-year extension, and he marked that season by catching his first touchdown pass against the Washington Redskins, followed by another remarkable performance against the Denver Broncos. His role on the Patriots evolved with time, with a growing focus on special teams play, particularly in the Super Bowl LI victory against the Atlanta Falcons in what is recognized as the largest comeback in Super Bowl history.

Following a brief stint with the Miami Dolphins in 2018, Bolden returned to the Patriots in 2019, contributing 15 carries for 68 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns, along with 111 receiving yards. He opted out of the 2020 season amidst concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic but returned in 2021, achieving career-high receiving yards. In 2022, Bolden decided to part ways with the Patriots a second time, joining the Las Vegas Raiders on a one-year deal.

Outside of his football career, Bolden also leads a happy family life with his wife Arianna. The couple, who have been together since their high school days at Scotlandville Magnet High School, are parents to their son Brycen, and daughters Axelle-Masai and Aviana. Bolden has a unique connection to the game through his grandfather, Frank Pitts, a former wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs, who played in the first and fourth Super Bowl. In 2021, Bolden took the initiative to change his jersey number to 25, as a tribute to his grandfather.

In a personal revelation, Bolden disclosed in December 2021 that he had battled and overcome a form of skin cancer, epidermoid carcinoma, back in 2018. After a diagnosis following Super Bowl LII, he underwent successful surgery and regained full protocol.