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In Sept. of 2008, Anquan Boldin was struck by a brutal helmet-to-helmet hit from Jets safety Eric Smith.
(If you you've got a strong stomach, you can check out the video of that frightening hit right here.)
The shot knocked Boldin unconscious, fractured his sinus membrane, and left doctors needing seven titanium facial plates and 40 titanium screws to repair multiple injuries to the wide receiver's face.
Remarkably, after missing just two games, Boldin was back on the field. And believe it or not, he says he would've come back a week earlier if team doctors have given him medical clearance.
Later in that same 2008 season, Derrick Mason dislocated his shoulder in a game against the Texans.
He returned later in the game and played through the injury during the Ravens' postseason run despite looking like he was playing with only one arm at times.
Mason later needed offseason surgery to repair the damage.
Now teamed together after Boldin's trade from the Cardinals and Mason's newly-signed two-year contract, the two receivers will make up one of the toughest wide receiver duos in the league.
Neither guy is incredibly tall (Boldin's 6-foot-1 frame is large compared to previous Ravens wide receivers, but isn't up there with other big-bodied wideouts around the league), and Mason won't exactly physically intimidate anyone on the defensive side of the ball.
But you don't need to have size to have toughness. And both Boldin and Mason have shown that they can work over the middle of the field when called upon, make a tough grab in traffic, and fight through injuries for the good of the team.
Heck, you can toss tight end Todd Heap into that group as well.
The Ravens' defense and running game have long been known as the aspects of the team that can play smash-mouth, grind-it-out football.
After Boldin's acquisition and Mason's decision to return, those qualities can now be used to describe the Ravens' receiving corps as well.
