After six years of taking vicious shots from pass rushers, fans and the media, embattled quarterback Kyle Boller is leaving Baltimore standing tall.
Boller, who signed with the St. Louis Rams, said Thursday that he departs with no ill feelings over a period defined by heavy criticism and unfulfilled expectations.
"I had a great time there. I still think it's a great city," Boller told The Baltimore Sun in his first comments to the Baltimore media this offseason. "I'm going to miss [owner] Steve Bisciotti a lot, and I'm going to miss my teammates. It's definitely different to be gone. But at the same time, it's very exciting for me to have a fresh start. I think it's going to be a great opportunity for me here."
Boller faced extraordinary pressure from the moment he was selected with the 19th pick in the 2003 draft. Not only did he become the first quarterback drafted by the Ravens in the first round, he was rushed as a rookie into starting for a playoff-contending team.
Inconsistent play (45 career touchdowns and 44 interceptions) and injuries (thigh, toe, concussion and shoulder) made Boller one of the biggest hot-button figures in Baltimore sports history.
In the 2005 season opener, some at M&T Bank Stadium cheered when Boller injured his toe and writhed on the ground in pain.
"The fans have been great to me in Baltimore. I hold no grudge," Boller said. "There will always be people that dislike you. At the same time, there were a lot of people that supported me and I'm very thankful for."
Boller also expressed no animosity toward the Ravens for replacing him twice during his time here, whether it was trading for Steve McNair in 2006 - "I understood that," Boller said. "He's a great player and Steve taught me a lot" - or drafting Joe Flacco in the first round last year.
Boller stayed connected with the team when he could have separated himself as other players with season-ending injuries have done. Boller, who missed all of last season because of a shoulder injured in the preseason, returned frequently to watch games on the sideline and attend team meetings.
"He was there supporting Joe, supporting Troy [Smith], the rest of our offense," coach John Harbaugh said at the end-of-the-season news conference. "That's just the kind of person he is, and he was a big plus for our team."
Said Boller: "I was happy to see those guys do well last year. It would have been fun to play in Cam Cameron's offense and see what happens. But you can't control injuries."
