Kyle Boller played QB for California from 1999-2002.
In his Senior campaign Kyle completed 225 of 421 passes for 2815 yards and 28 TDs.
Over his college career he completed 622 of 1301 passes for 7980 yards and 64 TDs to 48 interceptions.
Kyle was the second quarterback off the board in 2003 and was quickly named starter for the Ravens that season.
He completed 116 of 224 passes for 1260 yards with 7 TDs to 9 picks in an injury plagued rookie campaign.
Boller’s best season came the following year in 2004, when he passed for 2559 yards and 13 TDs (11 interceptions) on 258 of 464 throws.
He’d also start 16 games for the only time in his career, and finish with a career high 9-7 record.
Boller’s career from there was a frustrating one, battling quarterbacks and injury along the way.
After sitting out the entire 2008 season with an injury, Kyle played with the Rams in 2009.
He’d move on to Oakland in 2010, finishing out his career the following year.
NOTES:
I don’t often get members of the Baltimore Ravens through he mail, so I was pretty happy to get Kyle’s autograph on a couple of cards.
Kyle carried a huge burden being thrown out there into the fire by the Ravens. I wonder how his career would’ve planned out if he rode the bench for a season, and hadn’t had so much pressure hoisted on him.
Daryl Lamonica was the Notre Dame Irish Quarterback from 1960-’62.
He completed 99 of 211 passes for 1363 yards and 8 TDs, while rushing for 353 yards on 144 carries, scoring 10 rushing TDs.
Chose by both the Bills and Packers in the respective AFL and NFL Drafts in 1963.
Played for the Bills from 1963-’66 primarily backing up Jack Kemp.
Traded to the Oakland Raiders in a player deal in 1967.
Fit perfectly in the Raiders long bomb game, leading the Raiders immediately to Super Bowl II.
Threw for 3,228 yards and 30 TDs in first season with Oakland.
In ’68 completed 206 of 416 passes for 3,245 yards and 25 TDs.
Threw for 401 yards in the AFL Championship game but ultimately lost to the New York Jets.
Completed 221 of 426 passes for 3,302 yards and 34 TDs- all career highs in 1969.
Set NFL record with 6 TDs in first half of game that season.
Again lost in championship game, this time to the Chiefs.
Threw for 2,516 yards in ’70, along with 22 TDs on 179 of 356 passes.
On the backside of his career, Lamonica still managed to throw for 16 and 18 TDs respectively in 1971 and ’72.
Entering the 1973 season, he’d be relegated to back up duty for the final two years of his career in Oakland, with the emergency of Kenny Stabler.
Still feeling that he could play, Daryl jumped ship to the WFL.
He’d play for the Sothern California Sun, but the league folded by October of that year.
An avid outdoorsman, Lamonica loved fishing and spent a lot of his free time indulging in his hobby.
Over his career Lamonica posted an amazing starting record of 66-16-6.
ACCOLADES:
MVP East-West Shrine Game 1962
AFL MVP 1967, ’69
First Team All-AFL 1967, ’69
Pro Bowl 1970, ’72
AFL Championship MVP 1967
AFL Player of the Year 1967, ’69
NOTES:
I’d been tracking Lamonica’s autograph for a while and saw a spike up to around 40 bucks after he passed. That was way too rich for my blood. I waited patiently and the right deal popped up.
Lamonica is another player from the days of the AFL who just doesn’t get enough respect and should be in the HoF. Daryl at one point led professional football with 145 touchdown passes from 1967-’72.
EPITAPH:
April 21, 2022- Daryl Lamonica died peacefully in his sleep of natural causes, at the age of 80, while at his home in Fresno, Ca.
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
