About six years ago I was sitting in a Pro Bowl locker room in Honolulu talking to then-Pats corner Ty Law as he marveled at the NFC's top vote-getting receiver. Law, pretty much giggling in disbelief, was admiring David Boston, the Cardinals' young Pro Bowl receiver, trying to figure how this wideout could be such a freak of nature.
Law laughed and pointed. "Look at that guy, it's not fair," he said (to paraphrase). "That's not a receiver we're covering, it's a linebacker. It's really not fair."
What hasn't been fair is the fact that football fans never really got to see just how much of a freak Boston could have been. Rather than shine at Pro Bowl upon Pro Bowl, he bounced from team to team.
"I had some off the field incidents and I had some injuries," Boston said. "I wasn't working as hard as I should have, I was slacking off and I had a poor attitude. I had the wrong attitude to play the game. I wasn't really focused back then on making the team better and how could I make everyone around me better. I was just going through the motions. I was more narcissistic. I think a lot of problems happen when your mind starts to go down that road."
Before traveling down that road, Boston ravaged NFL secondaries in 2001 to the tune of 98 catches for a whopping 1,598 yards and eight touchdowns. It was his second consecutive year with 1,000-plus receiving yards. But instead of continuing to dazzle opponents, teammates and fans, Boston's road took several negative and unproductive turns.
A drug suspension, injuries and problems with coaches replaced what should have been accolades, yards and touchdowns. A now infamous, disastrous and controversial stint in San Diego, a brutal injury in Miami, questions about how big he allowed his frame to get and way too much controversy for one guy to have, sent his career plummeting. In fact, Boston's credibility dropped so much in the last six years he actually found himself banished to the unemployment line last season.
But now he appears to have turned the corner, back from the abyss he only has himself to blame for sinking into.
"I made a lot of mistakes and I'd like to think I learned from those mistakes now," Boston said after a midweek practice in Tampa. "I think I'm in the best shape of my life and I'm just really grateful the Bucs gave me a second chance."
Last year, Boston said and did all the right things, too, but didn't make the team. This year, however, his coaches and teammates believe he could actually make the climb back to the big show.
"He's looked awesome," said cornerback Ronde Barber. "He should make our team. He's not the same guy he was the last few years. I can only tell you from what I see out there in going against the guy but I think he's come all the way back."
Currently, Boston is No. 2 on the depth chart behind Joey Galloway, and his play in the preseason will decide his fate. Can he finish the climb back from his drop?
"I'm healthy again, I'm stronger and faster than I've ever been, I feel great," he said. "Like I said, I've learned from my mistakes. I think I took football for granted in the past. Now, obviously family comes first, but football comes right after it.
"Everything I was back then I'm better at everything now," he added. I'm faster, I'm stronger and I'm more explosive than I was back then. "I'm just grateful that I've got a second chance and hopefully it works out."
Boston appears to have seen his football life flash before his eyes. Whether or not he can resurrect it remains to be seen.
