David Boston

David Boston

No. --     Free Agent
Personal information
Date of birth: August 19, 1978 (1978-08-19) (age 33)
Place of birth: Humble, Texas
Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	Weight: 228 lb (103 kg)
Career information
College: Ohio State
NFL Draft: 1999 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8
Debuted in 1999 for the Arizona Cardinals
Career history
Arizona Cardinals (1999–2002) San Diego Chargers (2003) Miami Dolphins (2004–2005) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2006) Toronto Argonauts (CFL) (2008)
Career highlights and awards
2× First-team All-Big Ten (1997-1998) First-team All-American (1998) Pro Bowl selection (2001) All-Pro selection (2001)
Stats at NFL.com

David Byron Boston (born August 19, 1978 in Humble, Texas) is a professional football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Arizona Cardinals eighth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Ohio State.

A Pro Bowl selection with the Cardinals in 2001, Boston has also played for the San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Early years

Boston played youth football in the Humble Area Football League HAFL

College career

After graduating from Humble High School in Humble, Texas, Boston became a three-year starter for the Ohio State Buckeyes (1996–98). His 191 pass receptions as a Buckeye remains a team record, as does his career average of 5.2 receptions per game and 959 career punt return yards. His 2,835 receiving yards were a school record until surpassed by Michael Jenkins in 2003. With 36 career touchdown receptions (and one two-point conversion), Boston averaged 5.89 points per game.

Boston had a career full of highlights at Ohio State, but his best-remembered moment remains his game-winning 5-yard touchdown reception of a pass from quarterback Joe Germaine with 19 seconds remaining in the 1997 Rose Bowl. His bubbly personality caused battles that he had on the field with Heisman Trophy-winning cornerback Charles Woodson of the Michigan Wolverines.

Professional career

Arizona Cardinals

Boston left Ohio State with a year of eligibility remaining, and was drafted in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. He had his best season in 2001 in which he had 98 receptions for 1598 yards and 8 touchdowns. He also made the Pro Bowl that year as a starter.

San Diego Chargers

Boston signed a seven-year, $47 million contract ($12 million guaranteed) with the San Diego Chargers in 2003. That season he caught 70 passes for 880 yards and 7 touchdowns, however he fit in poorly with the rest of a struggling team. Coach Marty Schottenheimer suspended him for a game because of bad behavior. With their highly paid player a disappointment, new Chargers GM A.J. Smith traded Boston to the Miami Dolphins for a sixth round draft choice.

Miami Dolphins

Before the 2004 season, he tested positive for steroids and was ordered to serve a four-game suspension. The suspension became academic after he tore ligaments in his knee and was unable to play for the entire season. The Dolphins cut him at the end of the year, then proceeded to re-sign him for the veterans' minimum for 2005. He played in five games that year before tearing knee ligaments again.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In 2006, Boston signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was released on September 12, 2007 after being arrested for DUI.

Toronto Argonauts

After spending the 2007 season out of football, Boston signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League on April 21, 2008. Boston reported to training camp but his medical report showed a stress fracture in his right foot and recommended surgery. He was placed on the suspended list, never practicing or playing in the pre-season.^[1] A second doctor's opinion, however, was that it was a two-year old injury and cleared him to play in the regular season opener on June 27, 2008, when he recorded 2 receptions for a total of 16 yards.^[2] Following the game, however, Boston reported feeling too much pain and opted to follow the original doctor's suggestion of surgery requiring a 10 to 12 weeks rehabilitation period.^[3] Boston never returned to Toronto and his medical status is unknown.

Personal life

Boston's father, Byron, is an American football official in the NFL. He is not permitted to officiate games in which David is playing^{[citation needed]}. David is married to the former Renee Marisa Dota of Boardman, Ohio. They met at Ohio State University in 1996, and were married in July 2004. The couple's daughter, Alaia Gianna Boston, was born May 1, 2005. David's best friend, Kevin Bretscher, was announced as Alaia's Godfather the following day. The couple welcomed a second child, a son named Jaylen James, on September 17, 2007.

Legal trouble

On August 23, 2007, Boston was arrested in Pinellas Park, Florida and charged with DUI after a failed sobriety test was conducted. Boston was released on his own recognizance. A video of Boston's field sobriety test was released through the local Tampa Bay media. The video depicts Boston asking to contact an attorney and being denied, and on several occasions asking to submit to breath and blood tests in lieu of the standard field tests.^[4] Boston's breath test resulted in a reading of 0.00 BAC. On September 10, 2007 it was released to the media that David Boston tested positive for GHB,^[5] a recreational drug with questionable ties to bodybuilding. After learning of the drug charges the Buccaneers quickly came to an injury settlement with Boston allowing him to be released. On September 12, 2007, Boston was officially released by Tampa Bay when they decided to sign Mark Jones.

References

1. ^ "Argos' Boston to have surgery, out 10-12 weeks". TSN.ca. 2008-06-29. http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=241997. Retrieved 2008-06-30. 
2. ^ "CFL Live Game Day". Canadian Football League. 2008-06-27. http://liveplay.cflcentral.com/LPFiles/11_2008_cfllive_scoreboard.html. Retrieved 2008-06-30. 
3. ^ Zelkovich, Chris (2008-06-30). "Boston needs foot surgery after all". Toronto Star. http://www.thestar.com/Sports/Football/article/451583. Retrieved 2008-06-30. 
4. ^ TBO.com. Tampa Bay video news
5. ^ Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Pewter Report :: Index

External links

Persondata
Name	Boston, David
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	August 19, 1978
Place of birth	Humble, Texas
Date of death
Place of death