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Tampa Bay Cuts Ties With Boston

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By ROY CUMMINGS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 13, 2007

TAMPA - The Bucs twice have offered wide receiver David Boston a chance to make a comeback in the NFL. They will not offer this beleaguered fallen star a third.

Shortly after they terminated Boston's second comeback attempt in much the same way they terminated his first - by releasing him before he played a regular-season game for them - the Bucs cut ties with Boston for good.

'I think we've moved on,' Bucs General Manager Bruce Allen said during a news conference Wednesday at One Buc Place.

Officially, the Bucs said they moved on by reaching an injury settlement with Boston, who injured ligaments in his right foot while warming up for the season opener in Seattle on Sunday.

It seems likely, though, that Boston's Aug. 23 arrest by Pinellas Park police on a misdemeanor DUI charge also played a part in the Bucs' decision to cut ties.

Boston, whose NFL career had been derailed by off-the-field problems and injuries, continues to proclaim his innocence in this latest incident. He proclaimed it so vehemently immediately following the arrest that Allen backed him emphatically in a public statement two days later.

Pinellas Park officials revealed Monday, however, that Boston had high levels of the illegal so-called 'date rape' drug GHB in his system at the time of the arrest and will therefore pursue the charges against him. That revelation came a few hours after Coach Jon Gruden acknowledged Boston's foot injury, but said Boston was 'probable' for Sunday's game against New Orleans.

Players designated as 'probable' in the NFL are considered to have at least a 75 percent chance of playing in that week's game. Consequently, Boston's release following an injury settlement came as something of a surprise.

Boston's agent confirmed, however, that Boston injured ligaments in his foot before Sunday's game and added that he was under the impression Boston would be out several weeks.

'It's very unfortunate, but he's going to be out for a while,' agent Mitch Frankel said. 'It's probably going to take him three, four, five, six, maybe seven weeks to heal.'

Asked if he believed Boston's legal troubles had anything to do with the release, Frankel said, 'I can't go into their minds and see what they're thinking.'

Allen, who seldom if ever holds a news conference to discuss the release of a player who was let go after reaching an injury settlement, refused to say the DUI charge played a part in the decision. Allen also would not say whether he was upset to eventually hear that Boston had high levels of GHB in his system after he initially backed Boston by saying there was no evidence to support the charges.

'I had conversations with David on Tuesday,' Allen said. 'We met during the day and again during the evening, and he knows my feelings. I think the courts will determine his innocence or guilt and we'll let it go at that.'

The Bucs replaced Boston by re-signing receiver Mark Jones, who also gives them a legitimate punt and kick return option. Still, Gruden expressed disappointment at how the Boston experiment worked out. Boston, an eighth-year veteran, had not started in an NFL game since 2003.

'For two years, it was a Cinderella story,' Gruden said. 'We hoped he could come back and rejuvenate his career here. It did not work out, but he gave it everything he had. And I'll say this; he certainly elevated the play of Ike Hilliard and Mike Clayton and all the receivers in training camp. It's disappointing, very much so. It's a tragedy, in my opinion.'

The tragic ending began when police found Boston asleep at the wheel of his red Range Rover at the intersection of Park Boulevard and 49th Street N. in Pinellas Park at around 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 23. After being awakened by police, Boston was given a breath test that showed he did not have any alcohol in his system. Later, at the Pinellas County Jail, his urine was tested for 10 common drugs, including cocaine, marijuana and ecstasy.

Results of that test showed Boston's urine contained none of those drugs, but a sample of Boston's urine also was sent to the Pinellas County Forensic Laboratory and tested for several other drugs, including GHB and PCP. The results of that test came back Sept. 6, but Pinellas Park officials said they could not reveal the results because the matter was still under investigation. Monday, they revealed the presence of GHB in Boston's system.

Reporter Roy Cummings can be reached at (813) 259-7979 or at rcummings@tampatrib.com.

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