David Boston

David Byron Boston (born August 19, 1978) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL).

Boston was named the Greater Houston Area player of the year in 1995, the 9th best receiver in the nation by SuperPrep, and amongst the top 25 recruits from the southern United States.

He earned football offers from Florida, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and Texas, but decided to attend Ohio State.

Boston became a three-year starter for the Ohio State Buckeyes (1996–98).

He set several Ohio State receiving records during that time.

Boston's best-remembered moment remains his game-winning five-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Joe Germaine with 19 seconds remaining in the 1997 Rose Bowl.

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He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, earning first-team All-American honors in 1998.

Selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the eighth overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft, Boston became a Pro Bowl selection with the Cardinals in 2001.

He also played for the San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Boston was born in Humble, Texas, a suburb of Houston, and played youth football in the Humble Area Football League.

While at Humble High School, Boston was a talented athlete who was named all-region in basketball, all-state as a safety, and all-American as a wide receiver; as a senior, Boston caught 67 passes for 1,145 yards and 12 touchdowns while also collecting 88 tackles and 4 interceptions.

Boston left Ohio State with a year of eligibility remaining, and was drafted with the eighth overall pick in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals.

Byron worked as a line judge for one of his son's preseason games, between the Cardinals and the San Diego Chargers on August 14, 1999.

In 2000, David Was an alternate selection for the Pro Bowl.

On March 27, 2000, David Boston and Na'il Diggs were traveling northbound in a Hummer on I-71 in Columbus, Ohio.

A Ford Escort driven by Danielle Carfagna was traveling the wrong way on the interstate and collided with the Hummer.

Boston and Diggs were injured, and Carfagna was killed in the accident.

In 2001, Boston had 98 receptions for a league-leading 1598 yards and eight touchdowns, starting in the Pro Bowl and earning All-Pro honors.

His 2,855 career receiving yards and 1,435 single-season receiving yards were school records until surpassed by Michael Jenkins in 2003 and Jaxon Smith-Njigba in 2021.

With 34 career touchdown receptions (and one two-point conversion), Boston averaged 5.89 points per game.

Additionally, he held the school touchdown reception record until Chris Olave surpassed it in 2021.

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 seven touchdowns, though head coach Marty Schottenheimer suspended him for a game after he cursed out strength coach Dave Redding.

Despite his excellent on-field performance, Chargers GM A. J. Smith traded Boston to the Miami Dolphins for a sixth round draft choice.

Before the 2004 season, Boston tested positive for a minor HCG infraction and was ordered to serve a four-game suspension.

The suspension became moot 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 in 2005 for $700,000.

He played in five games that year before tearing knee ligaments again.

In 2006, Boston signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He was released by the team on September 12, 2007 after being injured.

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.

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 two receptions for a total of 16 yards.

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.

He never played another down of pro football.

Boston's father, Byron, is an American football official in the NFL.

He was not permitted to officiate regular season games in which David Was playing.

His 191 pass receptions as a Buckeye was a record and is now the second most in school history (K.J. Hill, 2019).