Talking after the first of five mandatory team mini-camp practices, the four-year veteran apologized to his teammates, coaches, fans and family members for the incident and vowed to keep his legal issues from impeding his on-field play.
"First of all, I'd like to take the opportunity to apologize to (team owner) Mr. (Arthur) Blank, (general manager) Thomas Dimitroff, Coach (Mike) Smith, and all the other coaches, the fans and my family for the incident that happened last weekend," Boley said.
"I mean, honestly, I'm a little embarrassed to be out here talking about it, especially with this being the first day of mini-camp. We've got a lot of new faces in here, a lot of good players. We got a lot of good things done (Saturday), and I feel like this is one of the things I don't want to have to talk about."
Boley and a member of the Falcons' media relations group emphasized that Boley's legal matters are still pending, and there was very little he could publicly say about it.
Last weekend, Boley was arrested and charged with battery after his wife, Chantelle, told Gwinnett County police that he had become "physical" with her. He was released on $1,200 bond. The family battery charge against him is a misdemeanor.
The 25-year-old linebacker and his wife were married within the past year and had a child together last season. Boley is currently in talks with the Falcons for a contract extension, but he resolutely said Saturday that those talks had not stalled, and "nothing's changed" regarding their status.
A fifth-round pick in the 2005 draft, Boley reflected Saturday on a message shared that year by former Falcons head coach Jim Mora.
"Work is work," Boley said. "I learned that early, I learned that my rookie year when I got here. Coach Mora used to tell us keep the personal stuff at home. This is work, this is your job. What you do here is going to affect your life from here on out, so make sure you do your best."
GETTING A TASTE OF TURNER
Fans who attended Saturday morning's practice got a chance to see veteran running back Michael Turner for the first time, as he appeared in his first mini-camp drills since offseason shoulder surgery.
The running back, in his fifth year, was claimed through free agency this past offseason after rattling off an impressive postseason rushing performance for San Diego, backing up one-time league MVP LaDanian Tomlinson.
Turner missed Atlanta's last veteran's mini-camp three weeks ago because of the injury, but he was healthy enough to participate Saturday.
"You finally feel a part of the team once you start doing drills with them," Turner said.
Smith also seemed enthusiastic about seeing his newest running back finally get a chance to play.
"It was nice - not nice - it was great, to see three-three out there," Smith said of watching Turner in his red No. 33 jersey. "I tell you, that guy is everything we anticipated. He's going to be a very good running back. He runs very low to the ground; it's going to be very fun watching him run the football."
Taking the majority of his snaps as part of the Falcons' first team, Turner seems to be the coaching staff's early favorite to be Atlanta's No. 1 rusher in the fall, with third-year rusher Jerious Norwood playing in a more backup role.
Turner also added he's not quite 100 percent, but he does feel strong enough to do most of the drills.
"I'm pacing myself right now," Turner said. "They're holding me out of a couple of drills, but we're getting there."
SCUFFLING BIRDS
While there were a lot of team-oriented drills Saturday that were designed to get the players feeling comfortable playing with one another, there were also a few unplanned, potential team-deflating ones, as well.
On two occasions, members of Atlanta's offensive line and defensive unit got entangled in brief fights, pushing each other around and even smacking one another.
In the second fracas, offensive guard Tyson Clabo tomahawked an open-handed smack to the helmet of defensive tackle Rashad Moore, causing several players to interject and end the fight. Boley helped break up the other incident.
FAMOUS BIRDS
Former Falcons Terence Mathis and Jesse Tuggle were among those who viewed the current Falcons on Saturday, with Mathis voicing wishes to stand on the field instead of the sidelines.
On more than one occasion, the former Atlanta wide receiver joked about finding a pair of cleats to put on and break from the sidelines and into an on-field huddle.
