NFL
Ravens WR Miles Boykin’s Mother Discovered She’s Been Paying for His Xbox Live Since Sixth Grade
John Moriello started covering sports in 1982, began digital publishing in 1995, and joined Sportscasting in 2020. A graduate of St. John Fisher University, he finds inspiration in the underdogs and the fascinating stories sports can tell (both the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat). John expertly covers all aspects of NASCAR. Beginning with his 2014 coverage at Fox Sports of the aftermath of the dirt-race tragedy in which Kevin Ward Jr. died after being struck by a car driven by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart, John has excelled as a journalist who specializes in the motorsports world. He previously spent more than three decades covering high school sports and worked as a beat writer covering Big East football and basketball, but NASCAR is now where the true expertise falls. John is a member of the New York State Basketball Hall of Fame (2013), the President of the New York State Sportswriters Association, and a two-time Best of Gannett winner for print and online collaborations whose work has appeared on FoxSports.com and MaxPreps.com.
Get to know John Moriello betterPublished07 Nov 2020
Miles Boykin is certainly capable of pulling a fast one. After all, Boykin, a college teammate of emerging Pittsburgh Steelers star receiver Chase Claypool, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds before his rookie season. But the Baltimore Ravens wideout has sneaky moves, too.
Just ask his mother, who is now reaping the rewards from a bit of her son’s deception while in elementary school.
Miles Boykin is coming along as a Baltimore Ravens WR
RELATED: The Injury To Ravens Star Ronnie Stanley Hit Too Close To Home for T.J. Watt
The Baltimore Ravens hit a bump in the road in NFL Week 8 with a 28-24 loss to Pittsburgh that dropped them two games behind the unbeaten Steelers in the AFC North. They’ll be looking to rebound in Week 9 but face a challenge playing at the 5-2 Indianapolis Colts.
One of the bright spots for the Ravens in the loss to the Steelers was that second-year receiver Miles Boykin got into the scoring column with his first touchdown catch of the season. Boykin has already matched his rookie output with 13 catches in 2020, but the Ravens have to be hoping for more.
Boykin averaged 15.2 yards per reception last fall, but he has only checked in at 10.9 yards per grab in 2020. At 24 years old, however, Boykin would seem to have plenty of productive years ahead of him in the offense operated by quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Boykin grew up in the Chicago suburb of Tinley Park, Illinois, and signed to play his college football 90 minutes away at Notre Dame. He concluded an otherwise quiet redshirt sophomore season by earning MVP honors in the Citrus Bowl and then caught 59 passes and scored eight touchdowns in 2018.
Boykin declared for the draft afterward, and the Ravens made him their third-round selection.
Miles Boykin’s mother has paid for his Xbox Live since he was in sixth grade
RELATED: Lamar Jackson’s $11.7 Million Superstar May Want Out of Baltimore — and Quickly
Third-round draft picks don’t earn huge money from their rookie contracts, but Miles Boykins’ four-year contract is valued at a comfortable $3.57 million. Naturally, taxes and agent fees eat up a chunk, but there’s certainly money left over to splurge on himself.
One of Boykins’ indulgences is Xbox Live, but laying out the $100 or so annually for the gaming subscription has never been an issue for the Baltimore Ravens wideout. That’s because his mother had been footing the bill on her credit union account since he was in sixth grade.
She just didn’t know it.
It took Felicia Boykin, a health care worker at a local hospital, 12 years before learning of her son’s shenanigans thanks to a change in credit unions used by her employer over the summer. Miles Boykin finally fessed up, but he also found a sweet way to make up for what it cost mom over the years.
Upon hearing his story, Xbox, Microsoft, and EA Sports came together just days ahead of the Week 1 kickoff to surprise her with a package of gifts that included a copy of the Madden 21 video game with her photo on the cover, replacing that of Lamar Jackson.
The Chicago Tribune reported that the swag also included a pair of Boykins’ game-work cleats with her picture on them and a pair of Nike Air Zoom Pulses.
The receiver’s best gift to mom was his message
RELATED: The Tragic Death of Orlando Brown, a Potential Baltimore Ravens Legend
Miles Boykin was preparing for the Baltimore Ravens’ 2020 opener when the Madden 21 unveiling happened, so he got an assist from his brother George in delivering a heartfelt video message to his mother:
“Mom, do you remember all the times you took me to practice? All the times that you were there for me when I was injured? You’ve always been there. You helped me become the man I am today. I’ll forever be grateful to you. I would give you the world if I could and you would still deserve better.”
Miles Boykin
The best news for Felicia Boykin? As part of the package of gifts, Xbox is comping Miles Boykin’s gaming subscription.
Like Sportscasting on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter @sportscasting19.
