Kyle Boller
Encyclopedia
Kyle Bryan Boller is an American football
quarterback
for the Oakland Raiders
of National Football League
. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens
in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at The University of California
.
Boller has also played for the St. Louis Rams
.
. He led Hart to the CIF Southern Section Division III title with a 13–1 record. He passed for California prep record of 4,838 yards and threw for 59 TDs, the 2nd-best mark in California prep history, and ended the season completing 290 of 454 passes (63.9%). Because of this, he was considered by many to be the best prospect to emerge from The Valley Region of Los Angeles
since John Elway
came out of Granada Hills High School in 1979. During the 1998 season, Boller also played the position of safety on defense, and intercepted a pass in the final minute of the sectional championship game. He was rated the number one QB prospect in the nation by PrepStar and was that publication's national Offensive Co-Player of the Year.
In college Boller was a starter for three and a half seasons at the The University of California
and graduated with several career and single season records. He is currently #2 for all-time career passing yards, #1 for career passing touchdowns and #2 in total offense for a career.
(19th overall pick). He was the second quarterback selected from the Pac-10 conference after the Cincinnati Bengals
selected Carson Palmer
from USC
with the first overall pick. He started the first 9 games of the season, going 5–3, before being injured (thigh) in a game against the St. Louis Rams. He was inactive for most of the rest of the season, being replaced by backup Anthony Wright, as he also had to have surgery to repair a muscle in his quadriceps. Boller rushed 30 times for 62 yards, and completed 116 of 224 passes for 1,260 yards with 7 TDs and 9 INTs.
Boller started all 16 games the only time in his career in 2004. He set career highs, completing 258-of-464 (55.6%) for 2,559 yards with 13 TDs and 11 INTs. He also rushed 53 times for 189 yards and his 1st-career rushing TD. He had 4 games with QB ratings over 100, including a career-high 112.3 rating while going 18-of-34 for 219 yards, with a career-high 4 TDs and 0 INTs against the Giants.
Despite not making the playoffs the previous year, the Baltimore Ravens were seen by the NFL and the sports media as being contenders for the Super Bowl
, resulting in four primetime games: two Sunday night games, and two spots featured on Monday Night Football
. A factor in this was Boller's perceived status of "coming into his own", and so the Ravens were poised to start what would be a great season by taking on the Indianapolis Colts
on the first primetime Sunday Night game of the season. The Ravens held their own in the first half, limiting the Colts to only 3 points, and Boller looked solid in the pocket, leading the offense down the field to the red zone
several times. But it did not last, as Boller was injured in the third quarter, suffering a bad case of "turf toe", that would wind up keeping him out of action for 7 games. The Ravens season went downhill after that, even going four games without a single passing TD.
When Boller came back against the Bengals, after posting an 8.0 QB rating (4-of-12 [33%] for 37 yards and 1 INT) in the 1st half, Boller exploded in the 2nd half, going 14-of-20 [70%] for 174 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT for a 115.4 QB rating in the final 2 quarters. In back to back games, he (and the entire team) finally seemed to come alive and show the promise everyone had been expecting, as he completed 19-of-27 passes (70.4%) for 253 yards, 3 TDs and no INTs for a career-high 136.8 QB rating in the 48–3 victory in Week 14 vs. the Green Bay Packers
. Then, against the Minnesota Vikings
, he posted a career-high 70.6 completion percentage (24-of-34) for 289 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT for a 113.5 QB rating.
However, despite this, he still finished 2005 completing a career-high 58.4% of his passes (171-of-293) for 1,799 yards with 11 TDs and 12 INTs despite missing almost 8 games due to injury.
Steve McNair
, former Tennessee Titans
QB, was traded to Baltimore in 2006. Coach Brian Billick
declared McNair the starter instead of having the two compete for the job, citing McNair's credentials, including 2003 NFL Co-MVP, and Boller's propensity to turn over the ball. In Week 6 of the 2006 NFL season, McNair was sacked by Carolina Panthers
defenders Mike Rucker
and Chris Draft
. The result of that play was a mild concussion and a neck injury. McNair left the game and would not return. Boller came in to replace him in the final seconds of the first quarter, and completed 17 of 31 passes for a 58% completion percentage, 3 touchdowns, 226 yards, and one interception. Faced with a 9-point deficit with 5:10 remaining, Boller connected with Mark Clayton
for a 62-yard TD pass to start a come-back attempt. When the Ravens defense gave up their second touchdown of the day, Boller was called upon to score again. This time, he faced 68 yards and was given 4:08 to score a touchdown, to still be behind in the game. He drove down the field and capped off his drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Todd Heap
. The Panthers were then able to run out the clock before the Raven's offense could get back on the field, and Baltimore lost 23 – 21. Then, after McNair's throwing hand was stepped on against Cleveland on Dec. 17, Boller led the Ravens to victory with a 13-of-21, 238-yard and two-touchdown performance (112.3 passer rating), one touchdown being the game highlight, when he connected with explosive rookie receiver Demetrius Williams
for the 77 yard score. That victory clinched a playoff berth for the Ravens, who had already all but locked up their division. With McNair as the starting quarterback the Ravens improved to a franchise best mark of 13–3 on the season, despite only going 6–10 the previous year with Boller at the helm.
After McNair was injured in the first game of the 2007 season against the Cincinnati Bengals
, Boller was given the opportunity to start. He came in late in the game and was unable to pull out a victory. Boller was then named the interim starter in Week 2, in a home game against the New York Jets
. He had a strong showing, throwing two touchdowns and no interceptions for 185 yds and a QB rating of 97.9. In Week 3, McNair retook the reigns of the team, facing the Arizona Cardinals
. The team was up in the 4th, and they switched Boller in to rest McNair, and in spite of a late comeback effort by Kurt Warner
, Boller managed to get the team in position for a game winning field goal. The following 2 games Boller was back on the bench. In weeks 6 and 7, Boller was once again named the interim starter for the Ravens.
Following the Week 8 Bye, the Ravens once again decided to go with McNair as their starter. Two bad losses against division rivals followed. After Week 10, which featured a humiliating loss against the Cincinnati Bengals
, during which McNair committed 3 fumbles, it was decided that Boller would officially be the starting QB for the remainder of the season. Boller led the Ravens in a hard fought game against the Cleveland Browns
, in which the Ravens attempted to make a late comeback, which ended in what seemed to be a win after a missed field goal attempt by Cleveland. However, the refs reviewed the play and found that it was in fact a good field goal, and the game went into overtime. Boller and the Ravens eventually lost 33–30.
In what might be viewed as the 2007 Ravens' finest moment they faced the New England Patriots
on Monday Night Football
. Boller finished the game with 2 TDs and 1 INT. It was arguably the best game of his career, but the Ravens ultimately still lost 27–24. Of all of the Patriots' opponents during their undefeated regular season that year, the Ravens came closest to upsetting their undefeated season.
The Ravens next traveled to Miami to face off against the winless Miami Dolphins
. Boller had his season end early with yet another injury, this time a mild concussion. Backup rookie QB Troy Smith
played the remainder of the game, leading the team into overtime, where they eventually lost, 22–16, giving the Dolphins their sole win of the season.
The 2007 Ravens ended their season with a record of 5–11, which led to the firing of head coach Brian Billick and the drafting of future quarterback Joe Flacco
.
Following the retirement of Steve McNair, Boller faced a three way battle for the starting job between himself, former Heisman Trophy
winner Troy Smith
, and the Ravens' 2008 First Round Draft choice, Joe Flacco (McNair had retired). Boller was given the starting job against the New England Patriots in the 2008 pre-season opener, but following another injury suffered in a preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings, his season ended when the Ravens placed him on Injured Reserve
on September 3.
on April 4 as the backup to starting quarterback Marc Bulger
. Boller saw action on September 27 against the Green Bay Packers
after Bulger sustained a bruised rotator cuff
. He passed for 164 yards, two touchdowns and an interception along with 31 rushing yards in the 36–17 loss. In Week 4 against the San Francisco 49ers
, he threw an interception and fumbled, both returned for touchdowns.
.
On October 24, 2010, Boller saw some game action in the Raiders-Broncos game. He rushed 6 times for 11 yards in the Raiders' blowout 59–14 win.
In March 2011, the Raiders resigned Boller for one year at 1.25 million dollars. In October, Boller became the Raiders' starting quarterback after Jason Campbell
suffered a collarbone injury.
But after the Raiders signed Carson Palmer became back up again.
. The couple's first child was born on May 11, 2011.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft
2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at The University of California
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
.
Boller has also played for the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
.
Early years
Boller earned the 1998 California State Player of the Year honors after an outstanding senior season at William S. Hart High School in Santa Clarita, CASanta Clarita, California
Santa Clarita is the fourth largest city in Los Angeles County, California, United States and the twenty-fourth largest city in the state of California. The 2010 US Census reported the city's population grew 16.7% from the year 2000 to 176,320 residents. It is located about northwest of downtown...
. He led Hart to the CIF Southern Section Division III title with a 13–1 record. He passed for California prep record of 4,838 yards and threw for 59 TDs, the 2nd-best mark in California prep history, and ended the season completing 290 of 454 passes (63.9%). Because of this, he was considered by many to be the best prospect to emerge from The Valley Region of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
since John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
came out of Granada Hills High School in 1979. During the 1998 season, Boller also played the position of safety on defense, and intercepted a pass in the final minute of the sectional championship game. He was rated the number one QB prospect in the nation by PrepStar and was that publication's national Offensive Co-Player of the Year.
In college Boller was a starter for three and a half seasons at the The University of California
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
and graduated with several career and single season records. He is currently #2 for all-time career passing yards, #1 for career passing touchdowns and #2 in total offense for a career.
Baltimore Ravens
Boller became the Ravens' first round draft pick in 2003 NFL Draft2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
(19th overall pick). He was the second quarterback selected from the Pac-10 conference after the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
selected Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer is an American professional football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals first overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at the University of Southern California and won the Heisman Trophy in 2002...
from USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
with the first overall pick. He started the first 9 games of the season, going 5–3, before being injured (thigh) in a game against the St. Louis Rams. He was inactive for most of the rest of the season, being replaced by backup Anthony Wright, as he also had to have surgery to repair a muscle in his quadriceps. Boller rushed 30 times for 62 yards, and completed 116 of 224 passes for 1,260 yards with 7 TDs and 9 INTs.
Boller started all 16 games the only time in his career in 2004. He set career highs, completing 258-of-464 (55.6%) for 2,559 yards with 13 TDs and 11 INTs. He also rushed 53 times for 189 yards and his 1st-career rushing TD. He had 4 games with QB ratings over 100, including a career-high 112.3 rating while going 18-of-34 for 219 yards, with a career-high 4 TDs and 0 INTs against the Giants.
Despite not making the playoffs the previous year, the Baltimore Ravens were seen by the NFL and the sports media as being contenders for the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
, resulting in four primetime games: two Sunday night games, and two spots featured on Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
. A factor in this was Boller's perceived status of "coming into his own", and so the Ravens were poised to start what would be a great season by taking on the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
on the first primetime Sunday Night game of the season. The Ravens held their own in the first half, limiting the Colts to only 3 points, and Boller looked solid in the pocket, leading the offense down the field to the red zone
Red Zone
Red Zone may refer to:*Red Zone , a region of France decimated during World War I*Red Zone , a term designating unsafe areas in Iraq after the 2003 invasion by the United States, Britain, and other allies...
several times. But it did not last, as Boller was injured in the third quarter, suffering a bad case of "turf toe", that would wind up keeping him out of action for 7 games. The Ravens season went downhill after that, even going four games without a single passing TD.
When Boller came back against the Bengals, after posting an 8.0 QB rating (4-of-12 [33%] for 37 yards and 1 INT) in the 1st half, Boller exploded in the 2nd half, going 14-of-20 [70%] for 174 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT for a 115.4 QB rating in the final 2 quarters. In back to back games, he (and the entire team) finally seemed to come alive and show the promise everyone had been expecting, as he completed 19-of-27 passes (70.4%) for 253 yards, 3 TDs and no INTs for a career-high 136.8 QB rating in the 48–3 victory in Week 14 vs. the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
. Then, against the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, he posted a career-high 70.6 completion percentage (24-of-34) for 289 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT for a 113.5 QB rating.
However, despite this, he still finished 2005 completing a career-high 58.4% of his passes (171-of-293) for 1,799 yards with 11 TDs and 12 INTs despite missing almost 8 games due to injury.
Steve McNair
Steve McNair
Stephen LaTreal McNair was an American football quarterback who spent the majority of his NFL career with the Tennessee Titans....
, former Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
QB, was traded to Baltimore in 2006. Coach Brian Billick
Brian Billick
Brian Harold Billick is a National Football League game analyst for Fox, and is also an analyst for the network's Bowl Championship Series coverage. He was previously an NFL coach, most recently with the Baltimore Ravens from January 19, 1999 to December 31, 2007...
declared McNair the starter instead of having the two compete for the job, citing McNair's credentials, including 2003 NFL Co-MVP, and Boller's propensity to turn over the ball. In Week 6 of the 2006 NFL season, McNair was sacked by Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
defenders Mike Rucker
Mike Rucker
Michael Dean Rucker is a former American football defensive end who played for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League.-Early years:...
and Chris Draft
Chris Draft
Christopher Michael Draft is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He previously played for the Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, St. Louis Rams, and Buffalo Bills...
. The result of that play was a mild concussion and a neck injury. McNair left the game and would not return. Boller came in to replace him in the final seconds of the first quarter, and completed 17 of 31 passes for a 58% completion percentage, 3 touchdowns, 226 yards, and one interception. Faced with a 9-point deficit with 5:10 remaining, Boller connected with Mark Clayton
Mark Clayton
Mark Gregory Clayton is a former American football wide receiver who played most of his career with the Miami Dolphins, entering the league in 1983 with the Dolphins and playing there until 1992. He finished out his career with the Green Bay Packers, playing a single season with them in 1993...
for a 62-yard TD pass to start a come-back attempt. When the Ravens defense gave up their second touchdown of the day, Boller was called upon to score again. This time, he faced 68 yards and was given 4:08 to score a touchdown, to still be behind in the game. He drove down the field and capped off his drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Todd Heap
Todd Heap
Todd Benjamin Heap is an American football tight end for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona State-Early years:At Mountain View High School, in Mesa, Arizona,...
. The Panthers were then able to run out the clock before the Raven's offense could get back on the field, and Baltimore lost 23 – 21. Then, after McNair's throwing hand was stepped on against Cleveland on Dec. 17, Boller led the Ravens to victory with a 13-of-21, 238-yard and two-touchdown performance (112.3 passer rating), one touchdown being the game highlight, when he connected with explosive rookie receiver Demetrius Williams
Demetrius Williams
Demetrius Terrell Williams is an American football wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
for the 77 yard score. That victory clinched a playoff berth for the Ravens, who had already all but locked up their division. With McNair as the starting quarterback the Ravens improved to a franchise best mark of 13–3 on the season, despite only going 6–10 the previous year with Boller at the helm.
After McNair was injured in the first game of the 2007 season against the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
, Boller was given the opportunity to start. He came in late in the game and was unable to pull out a victory. Boller was then named the interim starter in Week 2, in a home game against the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He had a strong showing, throwing two touchdowns and no interceptions for 185 yds and a QB rating of 97.9. In Week 3, McNair retook the reigns of the team, facing the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The team was up in the 4th, and they switched Boller in to rest McNair, and in spite of a late comeback effort by Kurt Warner
Kurt Warner
Kurtis Eugene "Kurt" Warner is a retired American football player. He played quarterback for three National Football League teams: the St. Louis Rams, the New York Giants, and the Arizona Cardinals. He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1994 after playing...
, Boller managed to get the team in position for a game winning field goal. The following 2 games Boller was back on the bench. In weeks 6 and 7, Boller was once again named the interim starter for the Ravens.
Following the Week 8 Bye, the Ravens once again decided to go with McNair as their starter. Two bad losses against division rivals followed. After Week 10, which featured a humiliating loss against the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
, during which McNair committed 3 fumbles, it was decided that Boller would officially be the starting QB for the remainder of the season. Boller led the Ravens in a hard fought game against the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, in which the Ravens attempted to make a late comeback, which ended in what seemed to be a win after a missed field goal attempt by Cleveland. However, the refs reviewed the play and found that it was in fact a good field goal, and the game went into overtime. Boller and the Ravens eventually lost 33–30.
In what might be viewed as the 2007 Ravens' finest moment they faced the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
on Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
. Boller finished the game with 2 TDs and 1 INT. It was arguably the best game of his career, but the Ravens ultimately still lost 27–24. Of all of the Patriots' opponents during their undefeated regular season that year, the Ravens came closest to upsetting their undefeated season.
The Ravens next traveled to Miami to face off against the winless Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Boller had his season end early with yet another injury, this time a mild concussion. Backup rookie QB Troy Smith
Troy Smith
Troy James Smith is an American football quarterback for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Ohio State.Smith has also played for the San Francisco 49ers. He...
played the remainder of the game, leading the team into overtime, where they eventually lost, 22–16, giving the Dolphins their sole win of the season.
The 2007 Ravens ended their season with a record of 5–11, which led to the firing of head coach Brian Billick and the drafting of future quarterback Joe Flacco
Joe Flacco
Flacco was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens 18th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, becoming the highest drafted player ever from the University of Delaware...
.
Following the retirement of Steve McNair, Boller faced a three way battle for the starting job between himself, former Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner Troy Smith
Troy Smith
Troy James Smith is an American football quarterback for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Ohio State.Smith has also played for the San Francisco 49ers. He...
, and the Ravens' 2008 First Round Draft choice, Joe Flacco (McNair had retired). Boller was given the starting job against the New England Patriots in the 2008 pre-season opener, but following another injury suffered in a preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings, his season ended when the Ravens placed him on Injured Reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
on September 3.
St. Louis Rams
An unrestricted free agent in the 2009 offseason, Boller signed with the St. Louis RamsSt. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
on April 4 as the backup to starting quarterback Marc Bulger
Marc Bulger
Marc Robert Bulger [] is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at West Virginia....
. Boller saw action on September 27 against the Green Bay Packers
2009 Green Bay Packers season
The 2009 Green Bay Packers season was the 89th season in the National Football League for the Green Bay Packers and the 91st season for the team overall...
after Bulger sustained a bruised rotator cuff
Rotator cuff
In anatomy, the rotator cuff is the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the shoulder. The four muscles of the rotator cuff, along with the teres major muscle, the coracobrachialis muscle and the deltoid, make up the seven scapulohumeral muscles of the human body.-Function:The...
. He passed for 164 yards, two touchdowns and an interception along with 31 rushing yards in the 36–17 loss. In Week 4 against the San Francisco 49ers
2009 San Francisco 49ers season
The 2009 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 64th season, and the first full year with Mike Singletary as head coach after being named interim head coach in 2008. It is the seventh year in which the 49ers have their seventh offensive coordinator...
, he threw an interception and fumbled, both returned for touchdowns.
Oakland Raiders
On April 15, 2010, Boller signed with the RaidersOakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
On October 24, 2010, Boller saw some game action in the Raiders-Broncos game. He rushed 6 times for 11 yards in the Raiders' blowout 59–14 win.
In March 2011, the Raiders resigned Boller for one year at 1.25 million dollars. In October, Boller became the Raiders' starting quarterback after Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
suffered a collarbone injury.
But after the Raiders signed Carson Palmer became back up again.
Career highlights
- Second all-time Baltimore Ravens record for most career passing yards (7,846). (passed by Joe Flacco on October 17, 2010)
- Most games played as Baltimore Ravens quarterback (55).
- 2nd Most games started as Baltimore Ravens quarterback (42).
- Most seasons as Baltimore Ravens quarterback (6).
- His record as a starter in full games for the Ravens was 21-19.
- In 2005, he led the Ravens to back to back primetime wins over the Packers and Vikings. The 48-3 victory over the Favre led Green Bay Packers, remains a Monday Night Football record.
- His 4 TD, 0 INT game in 2004 against Eli Manning and the New York Giants, still stands as the best scoring performance by a Baltimore Ravens QB. Vinnie Testaverde is second, with 4 TDs and 1 INT vs. the Denver Broncos in the Ravens' inaugural season, 1996.
Personal life
On July 2, 2010 Boller married Carrie PrejeanCarrie Prejean
Caroline Michelle "Carrie" Prejean Boller is an American model, author, former Miss California USA 2009 and Miss USA 2009 first runner-up. Prejean received national attention in 2009 when she told a pageant judge that marriage should be between a man and a woman; pageant judge and gossip blogger...
. The couple's first child was born on May 11, 2011.