Cris Carter
Encyclopedia
Cristopher D. Carter is a former American football
player in the National Football League
. He played wide receiver
for the Philadelphia Eagles
(1987–89), the Minnesota Vikings
(1990–2001) and the Miami Dolphins
(2002).
After starting for the Ohio State University
Buckeyes
, Carter was drafted
by the Eagles in the 4th round of the 1987 NFL supplemental draft
. While in Philadelphia, head coach Buddy Ryan
helped to coin one of ESPN's Chris Berman's famous quotes about Carter: "All he does is catch touchdowns." He was let go by Ryan in 1989, however, due to off-the-field issues. Carter was signed by the Vikings and turned his life and career around, becoming a two-time First-team, one-time Second-team All-Pro and playing in 8 straight Pro Bowls. When he left the Vikings after 2001, he held most of the team career receiving records. He briefly played for the Dolphins in 2002 before retiring.
Since retiring from the NFL, Carter has worked as an analyst on HBO's Inside the NFL
, ESPN
's Sunday NFL Countdown
and Monday Night Countdown
, and online at Yahoo Sports. He also works as an assistant coach at St. Thomas Aquinas High School
, where his son played wide receiver. Carter resides in Boca Raton, Florida. He is the brother of former NBA player and coach Butch Carter
.
. He spent his early childhood there before moving to Middletown, Ohio
with his mother, 3 brothers, and two sisters. They lived in a small four-bedroom apartment. He attended Middletown High School
and starred in both football and basketball.
Earle Bruce
. Carter became a consensus All-America
selection after his junior season, Ohio State's first All American at wide receiver.
Carter had intended to play both football and basketball at Ohio State, but decided to focus on football after making an immediate impact his freshman year. That year he set a Rose Bowl record with nine receptions for 172 yards.
Carter was known for great hands, running precise routes, and for acrobatic leaps. He had remarkable body control and footwork when making catches near the sidelines. At the Citrus Bowl
at the end of the 1985 season
, Carter caught a ball that quarterback
Jim Karsatos
was intending to throw away out of bounds as he was being tackled. Karsatos has claimed that catch by Carter was the greatest in the history of college football: "When I finally saw it on film, he was tiptoeing the sidelines and he jumped up and caught the ball left-handed by the point of the football at least a yard out of bounds. Then he somehow levitated back in bounds to get both his feet in bounds. I swear to this day he actually levitated to get back in bounds. When I saw it on film, it just blew me away."
Prior to Carter's senior season, he secretly signed with notorious sports agent
Norby Walters
. When the contract was discovered, Carter was ruled ineligible. The absence of Carter in the 1987
offense contributed to a disappointing 6–4–1 season and the firing of Coach Bruce.
Despite losing his senior year, Carter left Ohio State holding the school record for receptions (168). In 2000, he was selected as a member of the Ohio State Football All-Century Team
. In 2003, he was inducted into the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame
.
.
Carter got more involved in the Eagles
offense in 1988
catching 39 passes for 761 yards and tying for the team lead with 6 scoring receptions. In 1989
, he became the teams' primary red zone receiver, leading the Eagles
with 11 TD catches (3rd in the NFC) while hauling in 45 passes for 605 yards.
Shortly after, Carter had a falling out with coach Buddy Ryan
and was a surprise cut following the pre-season. Carter later admitted that Ryan released him because of alcohol and drug abuse, large amounts of ecstasy and marijuana being his drugs of choice, and credits his former coach with helping him turn his life around as a result.
and resident star receiver, Anthony Carter
(no relation), Carter didn't see very many passes come his way during his first season in Minnesota. He did gain a measure of revenge against his former team, however, catching six passes for 151 yards, including a 78 yard TD, in a Monday Night
contest at Philadelphia on October 15. Carter finished the 1990 campaign
with 27 receptions for 413 yards and 3 TDs.
In 1991
, Carter stepped forward as Minnesota's top pass catcher. He led the team with 72 receptions, 962 yards, and 5 TD catches. The winds of change were blowing in Minnesota; after a second straight disappointing season head coach Jerry Burns
retired. Stanford
head coach Dennis Green
was named as his replacement on January 10, 1992 and began a house cleaning process. "The New Sheriff in Town" released stalwarts like RB Herschel Walker
and QB Wade Wilson and traded DT Keith Millard
to the Seattle Seahawks
.
The Vikings
returned to NFL prominence in 1992
, posting an 11–5 record and capturing their first NFC Central Division title since 1989. With Rich Gannon
and Sean Salisbury
playing musical chairs at QB, Carter remained the teams primary aerial weapon—leading the team with 53 receptions, 681 yards, and 6 TDs despite missing the final four games of the season with a broken collar bone. The Vikings season ended in disappointment, however, as the defending world champion Washington Redskins
upended them 24–7 in the Wildcard round.
In 1993
, veteran QB Jim McMahon
acted as the team's primary signal caller and Carter had a breakout season. He posted career highs in receptions, 86, and yards, 1,071, while catching 9 TDs - all team highs, and appeared in his first Pro Bowl
. The Vikings
finished the season 9–7, good enough for a playoff berth, but fell 17–10 to the New York Giants
in the Wildcard round.
Veteran quarterback Warren Moon
was acquired before the 1994 season
and immediately developed a rapport with Carter. The veteran helped Carter set the NFL single season record for receptions with 122 (the record was broken in 1995 by Detroit's Herman Moore
and then topped by the Colts' Marvin Harrison
in 2002). Carter also led the team with 1256 yards and 7 receiving TDs, which earned him First-team All Pro honors. Moon and Carter carried the team
to a 10–6 record and the NFC Central title, but couldn't stop the Vikings from a third straight first round playoff exit - a 35–18 home loss to the Chicago Bears
.
Carter teamed up with Moon in 1995 to post his finest statistical season. He caught 122 passes for a career high 1,371 yards and led the NFL with 17 TD receptions. Carter received Second-team All Pro honors for his efforts. The Vikings, however, finished 8–8 and missed the playoffs for the first time under Green.
Midway through the 1996 season Brad Johnson
took over at QB for the Vikings. Carter didn't miss a beat, catching 96 passes for 1,163 yards and 10 TDs. The Vikings returned to the playoffs with a 9–7 record, but were routed by the Dallas Cowboys
40-15 in the Wildcard round. Carter appeared in his fourth straight Pro Bowl following the season.
Carter continued to be the focal point of the Vikings' offense in 1997. He was named to his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl, leading the NFL with 13 TD receptions while pacing the team with 89 catches and 1069 yards Even though he had more impressive seasons statistically, 1997 may have been Carter's finest hour, as week after week he dazzled with one spectacular catch after another. With Randall Cunningham
at QB (he replaced the injured Johnson late in the season) the Vikings finally broke through in the playoffs, defeating the Giants 23-22 in a last minute miracle comeback. The playoff success was fleeting, however, as the team fell to the San Francisco 49ers
38–22 the following week.
In 1998 the Vikings drafted Marshall
wide receiver Randy Moss
with 21st pick in the first round. Suddenly, the Vikings possessed the NFL's most dangerous weapon. They cruised through the regular season, posting a 15-1 record while scoring a then-league record 556 points. Carter, who made the Pro Bowl for the fifth time, caught 78 passes for 1,011 yards and 12 TDs. Led by Moss, Carter, and Miller Lite
Player of the Year Randall Cunningham, the Vikings entered the playoffs as heavy favorites to reach the Super Bowl. They easily defeated the Arizona Cardinals
41–21 in the Divisional Round, advancing to the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 1987. The Vikings entered that game as 13 and a half point favorites over the Atlanta Falcons
, but lost in overtime 30–27 to become the biggest favorite to ever lose a home playoff game. Carter later said losing that game was the lone regret of his time in Minnesota.
The following year, Carter had his finest individual season since 1995—the First-team All Pro caught 90 passes for 1241 yards and an NFL-best 13 TDs. The Vikings easily defeated the Dallas Cowboys 27-10 in the Wild Card round and headed to St. Louis
to face the NFL's new hottest offense. Minnesota led the eventual Super Bowl
champions 17–14 at the half, but a second-half flurry led to a 49-37 Rams win.
Carter finished the decade of the '90s with 835 receptions, second only to Jerry Rice
's 860, and was named to the NFL's All Decade team.
In 2000, led by Daunte Culpepper
, the Vikings won the NFC Central division, and Carter finished the season with 96 receptions, 1274 yards, 9 TD, and an eighth Pro Bowl. On November 30, Carter became only the second player in NFL history to reach the 1,000 reception plateau when he caught a 4-yard touchdown pass against Detroit.
In 2001, the Vikings floundered with a record of 5–11, their first losing season since 1990. Carter's production dipped to its lowest point since 1992 (mostly because of QB Spergon Wynn
's ineffectiveness in the last three games)—73 catches, 871 yards, 6 TD—and his streak of eight straight Pro Bowls came to an end. Following the season, the longest-tenured Viking exercised an out clause in his contract that ended his career in Minnesota.
Cris Carter left the Vikings as their all-time leader in, among other things, receptions 1,004 and receiving yards 12,383, and touchdowns 110.
The Miami resident started in his first game as a Dolphin at Lambeau Field
in Week 9. Carter showed signs of rust, catching just 3 passes for 31 yards and fumbling once. During the week that followed, he checked into the hospital with a kidney ailment and was sidelined for the next four weeks.
Carter returned in Week 14, but struggled to get back into the Dolphins receiver rotation. In Week 15, however, he caught a touchdown pass as the Dolphins beat the Raiders 23–17. The following week against the Vikings, however, he made a key drop in the end zone that cost Miami a touchdown. The Dolphins wound up losing that game and then lost to the Patriots the following week, missing the playoffs. Following the season, Carter quietly retired.
. Carter was one of fifteen finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame
class of 2008, but was not elected in a surprise to some commentators. Carter was once again excluded in 2009 and again in 2010 as receivers Jerry Rice
and Tim Brown became eligible for the first time, though Brown did not make it. Additionally, Andre Reed
was another possible candidate that diminished Carter's chance for enshrinement in 2010. In 2011, he also did not make it despite not having a single wide receiver in the class.
NFL Network
's NFL's Top 10 placed him atop the list of wide receivers with the best hands.
and is an NFL Analyst for Yahoo Sports and ESPN
. He is also a faculty member and assistant coach at St. Thomas Aquinas High School
, where his son played wide receiver in 2008. He is the owner of Cris Carter's FAST Program, a sports training center in South Florida, and is an ordained minister. He also appeared in the 2005 sports video game NFL Street 2
as a wide receiver
for the NFL Gridiron Legends team along with former teammate, safety Joey Browner
, and a few other historical NFL legends.
He was a speaker at 2008 NFL rookie symposium and again at the 2009 NFL Rookie Symposium.
Duron plans to enroll at another elite BCS school, Alabama
, by August 31, 2011. He's been on campus in Tuscaloosa, AL since early June 2011. Chris Carter has attended practice scrimmages at Alabama while Duron waits for administrative paperwork from his Junior college to be finalized before he can join his teammates.
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...
player in the 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 played wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
for the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
(1987–89), 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...
(1990–2001) and the 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...
(2002).
After starting for the Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
, Carter was drafted
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
by the Eagles in the 4th round of the 1987 NFL supplemental draft
1987 NFL Draft
The 1987 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 28–29, 1987...
. While in Philadelphia, head coach Buddy Ryan
Buddy Ryan
James David "Buddy" Ryan is a former American NFL football coach.-Early years:Ryan was born and reared in a small, agricultural-based community "just outside of Frederick, Oklahoma." Ryan played college football for Oklahoma A&M University where he earned four letters as a guard between 1952 and...
helped to coin one of ESPN's Chris Berman's famous quotes about Carter: "All he does is catch touchdowns." He was let go by Ryan in 1989, however, due to off-the-field issues. Carter was signed by the Vikings and turned his life and career around, becoming a two-time First-team, one-time Second-team All-Pro and playing in 8 straight Pro Bowls. When he left the Vikings after 2001, he held most of the team career receiving records. He briefly played for the Dolphins in 2002 before retiring.
Since retiring from the NFL, Carter has worked as an analyst on HBO's Inside the NFL
Inside the NFL
Inside the NFL is a weekly cable television sports show that focuses on the National Football League. It originally aired on HBO from 1977 through 2008...
, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's Sunday NFL Countdown
Sunday NFL Countdown
NFL GameDay redirects here. For the video games series, see NFL GameDay Sunday NFL Countdown is a pregame show of all the NFL action for that week. The official name is Sunday NFL Countdown presented by IBM. The show airs on ESPN, ESPN HD, TSN and TSN HD from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern time every...
and Monday Night Countdown
Monday Night Countdown
Monday Night Countdown, which debuted in 1993 on ESPN, is a television program featuring analysis and news on that night's NFL match to be broadcast on ESPN...
, and online at Yahoo Sports. He also works as an assistant coach at St. Thomas Aquinas High School
St. Thomas Aquinas High School (Fort Lauderdale)
St. Thomas Aquinas High School is a private, Roman Catholic, college-preparatory high school in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA, that educates young men and women in the Catholic tradition of youth formation. The school was founded in 1936 as part of St. Anthony School...
, where his son played wide receiver. Carter resides in Boca Raton, Florida. He is the brother of former NBA player and coach Butch Carter
Butch Carter
Clarence Eugene "Butch" Carter is a retired American basketball player and coach of the NBA...
.
Early years
Carter was born in Troy, OhioTroy, Ohio
* - Sports :In addition to Troy High School athletics, Troy is home to the Miami Valley Silverbacks indoor football team of the Continental Indoor Football League....
. He spent his early childhood there before moving to Middletown, Ohio
Middletown, Ohio
Middletown is an All-America City located in Butler and Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. Formerly in Lemon, Turtlecreek, and Franklin townships, Middletown was incorporated by the Ohio General Assembly on February 11, 1833, and became a city in 1886...
with his mother, 3 brothers, and two sisters. They lived in a small four-bedroom apartment. He attended Middletown High School
Middletown High School (Ohio)
Middletown High School is a public high school in Middletown, Ohio. It is the only public high school in the Middletown City School District.-Ohio High School Athletic Association State Championships:...
and starred in both football and basketball.
College career
Carter was heavily recruited out of high school for both basketball and football. He accepted the offer from Ohio State head coachHead coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Earle Bruce
Earle Bruce
Earle Bruce is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Tampa , Iowa State University , Ohio State University , the University of Northern Iowa , and Colorado State University , compiling a career college football record of 154–90–2...
. Carter became a consensus All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
selection after his junior season, Ohio State's first All American at wide receiver.
Carter had intended to play both football and basketball at Ohio State, but decided to focus on football after making an immediate impact his freshman year. That year he set a Rose Bowl record with nine receptions for 172 yards.
Carter was known for great hands, running precise routes, and for acrobatic leaps. He had remarkable body control and footwork when making catches near the sidelines. At the Citrus Bowl
Citrus Bowl
The Florida Citrus Bowl is a stadium in Orlando, Florida, USA, built for football, which currently seats around 70,000 people....
at the end of the 1985 season
1985 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 1985 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the college football season of 1985-1986. The Buckeyes compiled a 9–3 record, including the 1985 Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida, where they won 10–7 against the Brigham Young...
, Carter caught a ball that 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...
Jim Karsatos
Jim Karsatos
Jim Karsatos is a former American football player, starting at quarterback for two years with the Ohio State Buckeyes. He is of Greek-American origin from the island of Kefalonia.-References:...
was intending to throw away out of bounds as he was being tackled. Karsatos has claimed that catch by Carter was the greatest in the history of college football: "When I finally saw it on film, he was tiptoeing the sidelines and he jumped up and caught the ball left-handed by the point of the football at least a yard out of bounds. Then he somehow levitated back in bounds to get both his feet in bounds. I swear to this day he actually levitated to get back in bounds. When I saw it on film, it just blew me away."
Prior to Carter's senior season, he secretly signed with notorious sports agent
Sports agent
A sports agent procures and negotiates employment and endorsement contracts for an athlete.In return, the sports agent generally receives between 4 and 10% of the athlete's playing contract, and 10 to 20% of the athlete's endorsement contract, though these figures vary...
Norby Walters
1988 in organized crime
See also:1987 in organized crime,other events of 1988,1989 in organized crime and thelist of 'years in Organized Crime'.-----Events:*Genovese crime family member Vincent "Vinnie" DiNapoli, then considered by federal authorities to be the tenth most influential U.S...
. When the contract was discovered, Carter was ruled ineligible. The absence of Carter in the 1987
1987 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 1987 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the college football season of 1987-1988. The Buckeyes compiled a 6–4–1 record.-Schedule:-Coaching staff:* Earle Bruce - Head Coach - 9th year...
offense contributed to a disappointing 6–4–1 season and the firing of Coach Bruce.
Despite losing his senior year, Carter left Ohio State holding the school record for receptions (168). In 2000, he was selected as a member of the Ohio State Football All-Century Team
Ohio State Football All-Century Team
The Ohio State Football All-Century Team was chosen in early 2000 by the Touchdown Club of Columbus. It was selected to honor the greatest Ohio State Buckeyes football players of the 20th century...
. In 2003, he was inducted into the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame
Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame
The Ohio State Varsity "O" Hall of Fame is the athletic hall of fame for The Ohio State University. Its purpose is to recognize individuals who have contributed to the honor and fame of the University in the field of athletics....
.
Philadelphia Eagles
A 4th round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1987 supplemental draft, Carter saw limited action during his rookie season catching just 5 passes for 84 yards and 2 touchdowns. His first professional catch was a 22 yard touchdown vs. the St. Louis Cardinals1987 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season
The 1987 season for the St. Louis Cardinals was a struggle, as the team finished with a record of seven wins and eight losses, and missed the playoffs. This was the Cardinals' final season in St. Louis, as the team moved to Tempe, Arizona in March 1988. This move left St...
.
Carter got more involved in the Eagles
1988 Philadelphia Eagles season
The 1988 Philadelphia Eagles season resulted in an appearance in the postseason for the first time since 1981.-Player Selections:The table shows the Eagles selections and what picks they had that were traded away and the team that ended up with that pick...
offense in 1988
1988 NFL season
The 1988 NFL season was the 69th regular season of the National Football League. The Cardinals relocated from St. Louis, Missouri to the Phoenix, Arizona area becoming the Phoenix Cardinals but remained in the NFC East division....
catching 39 passes for 761 yards and tying for the team lead with 6 scoring receptions. In 1989
1989 NFL season
The 1989 NFL season was the 70th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle announced his retirement...
, he became the teams' primary red zone receiver, leading the Eagles
1989 Philadelphia Eagles season
The 1989 Philadelphia Eagles season resulted in an appearance in the postseason.-Player Selections:The table shows the Eagles selections and what picks they had that were traded away and the team that ended up with that pick...
with 11 TD catches (3rd in the NFC) while hauling in 45 passes for 605 yards.
Shortly after, Carter had a falling out with coach Buddy Ryan
Buddy Ryan
James David "Buddy" Ryan is a former American NFL football coach.-Early years:Ryan was born and reared in a small, agricultural-based community "just outside of Frederick, Oklahoma." Ryan played college football for Oklahoma A&M University where he earned four letters as a guard between 1952 and...
and was a surprise cut following the pre-season. Carter later admitted that Ryan released him because of alcohol and drug abuse, large amounts of ecstasy and marijuana being his drugs of choice, and credits his former coach with helping him turn his life around as a result.
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings claimed the troubled wide receiver off waivers on September 4, 1990. Stuck behind Hassan JonesHassan Jones
Hassan Ameer Jones , he played for the Clearwater High School Tornadoes, and is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the 5th round of the 1986 NFL Draft . A 6'0", 195-lb. wide receiver from Florida State, Jones played in 8 NFL seasons from 1986...
and resident star receiver, Anthony Carter
Anthony Carter (football)
Anthony Carter is a former American football wide receiver. He finished his college career as the University of Michigan's all-time leading receiver, and played professionally for thirteen years in the United States Football League and the National Football League...
(no relation), Carter didn't see very many passes come his way during his first season in Minnesota. He did gain a measure of revenge against his former team, however, catching six passes for 151 yards, including a 78 yard TD, in a Monday Night
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...
contest at Philadelphia on October 15. Carter finished the 1990 campaign
1990 NFL season
The 1990 NFL season was the 71st regular season of the National Football League. To increase revenue, the league changed the regular season so that all NFL teams would play their 16-game schedule over a 17-week period...
with 27 receptions for 413 yards and 3 TDs.
In 1991
1991 NFL season
The 1991 NFL season was the 72nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXVI when the Washington Redskins defeated the Buffalo Bills....
, Carter stepped forward as Minnesota's top pass catcher. He led the team with 72 receptions, 962 yards, and 5 TD catches. The winds of change were blowing in Minnesota; after a second straight disappointing season head coach Jerry Burns
Jerry Burns
Jerome Monahan "Jerry" Burns is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Iowa, from 1961 to 1965, compiling record of 16–27–2, and for the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL from 1986 to 1991, tallying a mark of...
retired. Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
head coach Dennis Green
Dennis Green
Dennis "Denny" Green is an American football head coach for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League...
was named as his replacement on January 10, 1992 and began a house cleaning process. "The New Sheriff in Town" released stalwarts like RB Herschel Walker
Herschel Walker
Herschel Junior Walker is an American mixed martial artist and a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Georgia Bulldogs and earned the 1982 Heisman Trophy. He began his professional career with the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League...
and QB Wade Wilson and traded DT Keith Millard
Keith Millard
Keith Millard is a former American football defensive tackle who played nine seasons for the Minnesota Vikings, the Green Bay Packers, the Seattle Seahawks and the Philadelphia Eagles from 1985 to 1993 in the National Football League....
to the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
.
The Vikings
1992 Minnesota Vikings season
1992 was the 32nd year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 73rd regular season of the National Football League. The Vikings finished with a record of eleven wins and five losses.-Staff:-Roster:-Schedule:-Playoffs:-References:...
returned to NFL prominence in 1992
1992 NFL season
The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins game that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium was rescheduled to October 18. Both teams originally had that...
, posting an 11–5 record and capturing their first NFC Central Division title since 1989. With Rich Gannon
Rich Gannon
Richard Joseph Gannon is a former football quarterback, who achieved most of his success late in his career with the Oakland Raiders in the National Football League...
and Sean Salisbury
Sean Salisbury
Richard Sean Salisbury is an American football analyst, former NFL and CFL quarterback, and actor.-Early life:Salisbury attended Orange Glen High School in Escondido, California...
playing musical chairs at QB, Carter remained the teams primary aerial weapon—leading the team with 53 receptions, 681 yards, and 6 TDs despite missing the final four games of the season with a broken collar bone. The Vikings season ended in disappointment, however, as the defending world champion Washington Redskins
1992 Washington Redskins season
The 1992 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to win their second Super Bowl in a row, following Super Bowl XXVI.-Draft Selections:-Schedule:-Standings:...
upended them 24–7 in the Wildcard round.
In 1993
1993 NFL season
The 1993 NFL season was the 74th regular season of the National Football League. For the first time in league history, all NFL teams played their 16-game schedule over a span of 18 weeks. After the success of expanding the regular season to a period of 17 weeks in 1990, the league hoped this new...
, veteran QB Jim McMahon
Jim McMahon
James Robert "Jim" McMahon, Jr. is a former American football player. He played college football at Brigham Young University, where he was a two-time All-American and later in the professional ranks with the Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona...
acted as the team's primary signal caller and Carter had a breakout season. He posted career highs in receptions, 86, and yards, 1,071, while catching 9 TDs - all team highs, and appeared in his first Pro Bowl
1993 Pro Bowl
The 1993 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 7, 1993 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. The final score was AFC — 23, NFC — 20. Steve Tasker of the Buffalo Bills was the game's MVP. This was the first Pro Bowl to go into overtime...
. The Vikings
1993 Minnesota Vikings season
1993 was the 33rd year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 74th regular season of the National Football League. The Vikings finished with a record of nine wins and seven losses.-Staff:-Schedule:-Standings:-Playoffs:-References:...
finished the season 9–7, good enough for a playoff berth, but fell 17–10 to the New York Giants
1993 New York Giants season
The 1993 New York Giants season was the 69th season for the club in the National Football League. Following the 1992 season, Ray Handley was replaced by former Broncos coach Dan Reeves, who immediately released Jeff Hostetler and named Phil Simms the team's starting quarterback.-NFL...
in the Wildcard round.
Veteran quarterback Warren Moon
Warren Moon
Harold Warren Moon is a former American professional gridiron football quarterback who played for the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos and the National Football League's Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs...
was acquired before the 1994 season
1994 NFL season
The 1994 NFL season was the 75th regular season of the National Football League. To honor the NFL's 75th season, a special anniversary logo was designed and each player wore a patch on their jerseys with this logo throughout the season...
and immediately developed a rapport with Carter. The veteran helped Carter set the NFL single season record for receptions with 122 (the record was broken in 1995 by Detroit's Herman Moore
Herman Moore
Herman Joseph Moore is a former American National Football League wide receiver. At George Washington High School in Danville he played mostly as a kicker and also as a tight end. He went to the University of Virginia, where he was a 2-sport athlete...
and then topped by the Colts' Marvin Harrison
Marvin Harrison
Marvin Daniel Harrison is a former American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse...
in 2002). Carter also led the team with 1256 yards and 7 receiving TDs, which earned him First-team All Pro honors. Moon and Carter carried the team
1994 Minnesota Vikings season
-Awards and honors:* Cris Carter, Led NFL in receptions* Cris Carter, All-Pro selection* Cris Carter, Pro Bowl selection* Warren Moon, Pro Bowl Selection 1994* Warren Moon, NFL Leader, Passing Yards, -Milestones:...
to a 10–6 record and the NFC Central title, but couldn't stop the Vikings from a third straight first round playoff exit - a 35–18 home loss to the Chicago Bears
1994 Chicago Bears season
The 1994 Chicago Bears season was their 75th regular season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 9–7 record under head coach Dave Wannstedt. The club was one of four teams from the NFC Central to make the playoffs. This was also the NFL's 75th Anniversary so it saw the Bears...
.
Carter teamed up with Moon in 1995 to post his finest statistical season. He caught 122 passes for a career high 1,371 yards and led the NFL with 17 TD receptions. Carter received Second-team All Pro honors for his efforts. The Vikings, however, finished 8–8 and missed the playoffs for the first time under Green.
Midway through the 1996 season Brad Johnson
Brad Johnson (American football)
James Bradley Johnson is a former National Football League Super Bowl-winning quarterback. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the ninth round of the 1992 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State.-Early years:Brad went to Charles D...
took over at QB for the Vikings. Carter didn't miss a beat, catching 96 passes for 1,163 yards and 10 TDs. The Vikings returned to the playoffs with a 9–7 record, but were routed by the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
40-15 in the Wildcard round. Carter appeared in his fourth straight Pro Bowl following the season.
Carter continued to be the focal point of the Vikings' offense in 1997. He was named to his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl, leading the NFL with 13 TD receptions while pacing the team with 89 catches and 1069 yards Even though he had more impressive seasons statistically, 1997 may have been Carter's finest hour, as week after week he dazzled with one spectacular catch after another. With Randall Cunningham
Randall Cunningham
Randall W. Cunningham is a former American football quarterback.After playing college football at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he was selected in the second round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom he remained through the 1995 season...
at QB (he replaced the injured Johnson late in the season) the Vikings finally broke through in the playoffs, defeating the Giants 23-22 in a last minute miracle comeback. The playoff success was fleeting, however, as the team fell to the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
38–22 the following week.
In 1998 the Vikings drafted Marshall
Marshall Thundering Herd football
The Marshall Thundering Herd football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program of Marshall University. The team represents the university as a member of the Conference USA Eastern division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, playing at the Division 1 Bowl Subdivision...
wide receiver Randy Moss
Randy Moss
Randy Gene Moss is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
with 21st pick in the first round. Suddenly, the Vikings possessed the NFL's most dangerous weapon. They cruised through the regular season, posting a 15-1 record while scoring a then-league record 556 points. Carter, who made the Pro Bowl for the fifth time, caught 78 passes for 1,011 yards and 12 TDs. Led by Moss, Carter, and Miller Lite
Miller Lite
Miller Lite is a 4.2% abv pale lager brand sold by MillerCoors of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Sibling beers include Miller Genuine Draft and Miller High Life.-History:...
Player of the Year Randall Cunningham, the Vikings entered the playoffs as heavy favorites to reach the Super Bowl. They easily defeated 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...
41–21 in the Divisional Round, advancing to the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 1987. The Vikings entered that game as 13 and a half point favorites over the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, but lost in overtime 30–27 to become the biggest favorite to ever lose a home playoff game. Carter later said losing that game was the lone regret of his time in Minnesota.
The following year, Carter had his finest individual season since 1995—the First-team All Pro caught 90 passes for 1241 yards and an NFL-best 13 TDs. The Vikings easily defeated the Dallas Cowboys 27-10 in the Wild Card round and headed to St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
to face the NFL's new hottest offense. Minnesota led the eventual 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...
champions 17–14 at the half, but a second-half flurry led to a 49-37 Rams win.
Carter finished the decade of the '90s with 835 receptions, second only to Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
's 860, and was named to the NFL's All Decade team.
In 2000, led by Daunte Culpepper
Daunte Culpepper
Daunte Rachard Culpepper is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He last played for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League . Prior to joining the UFL, Culpepper enjoyed a successful National Football League career after being drafted 11th overall in...
, the Vikings won the NFC Central division, and Carter finished the season with 96 receptions, 1274 yards, 9 TD, and an eighth Pro Bowl. On November 30, Carter became only the second player in NFL history to reach the 1,000 reception plateau when he caught a 4-yard touchdown pass against Detroit.
In 2001, the Vikings floundered with a record of 5–11, their first losing season since 1990. Carter's production dipped to its lowest point since 1992 (mostly because of QB Spergon Wynn
Spergon Wynn
Spergon Wynn III is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...
's ineffectiveness in the last three games)—73 catches, 871 yards, 6 TD—and his streak of eight straight Pro Bowls came to an end. Following the season, the longest-tenured Viking exercised an out clause in his contract that ended his career in Minnesota.
Cris Carter left the Vikings as their all-time leader in, among other things, receptions 1,004 and receiving yards 12,383, and touchdowns 110.
Miami Dolphins
Carter spent the spring of 2002 shopping for a team. Although he flirted with the Rams, Browns, and Dolphins, he was unable to complete a deal and joined HBO's "Inside the NFL" team as an analyst on May 21. He served in that capacity until October 21 when the Miami Dolphins lured the veteran back onto the playing field to bolster their injury-riddled receiving corps.The Miami resident started in his first game as a Dolphin at Lambeau Field
Lambeau Field
Lambeau Field is an outdoor football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Opened in 1957 as City Stadium, it replaced the original City Stadium as the Packers' home field...
in Week 9. Carter showed signs of rust, catching just 3 passes for 31 yards and fumbling once. During the week that followed, he checked into the hospital with a kidney ailment and was sidelined for the next four weeks.
Carter returned in Week 14, but struggled to get back into the Dolphins receiver rotation. In Week 15, however, he caught a touchdown pass as the Dolphins beat the Raiders 23–17. The following week against the Vikings, however, he made a key drop in the end zone that cost Miami a touchdown. The Dolphins wound up losing that game and then lost to the Patriots the following week, missing the playoffs. Following the season, Carter quietly retired.
Legacy
Carter finished No. 2 behind Jerry Rice in career receptions (1,101) and touchdowns (130) by a receiver. On December 28, 2008 Marvin Harrison of the Indianapolis Colts passed Carter to take the second place position in career receptions. Randy Moss and Terrell Owens have since passed him in touchdown receptions. He is one of only six players in NFL History with 1,000 or more receptions (1,101). He was named to the NFL 1990s All-Decade TeamNFL 1990s All-Decade Team
The NFL 1990s All-Decade Team was chosen by voters of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The team was composed of outstanding performers in the National Football League in the 1990s....
. Carter was one of fifteen finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
class of 2008, but was not elected in a surprise to some commentators. Carter was once again excluded in 2009 and again in 2010 as receivers Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
and Tim Brown became eligible for the first time, though Brown did not make it. Additionally, Andre Reed
Andre Reed
Andre Darnell Reed is a former professional American football player. He played wide receiver in the National Football League for 16 seasons, 15 with the Buffalo Bills and one with the Washington Redskins .Reed ranks tenth in NFL history in total career receptions with 951.-Football career:Reed...
was another possible candidate that diminished Carter's chance for enshrinement in 2010. In 2011, he also did not make it despite not having a single wide receiver in the class.
NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
's NFL's Top 10 placed him atop the list of wide receivers with the best hands.
Career Notables
- Only player to record 120+ receptions in a season twice, 1994 and 1995.
- Most touchdown receptions on Thursday games (9)
- Most 12+ reception games in a single season (4) in 1995
- One of 3 players (Clarke Gaines and Jerry Rice) to record 12+ receptions in back to back games
- Most consecutive games with at least 3 receptions (58)
- Most 1-yard touchdown receptions in NFL history (9)
- Most touchdown receptions 2 yards or less in NFL history (16) - tied with Jerry Rice
- Most touchdown receptions 4 yards or less in NFL history (28)
- Most touchdown receptions 5 yards or less in NFL history (36) - tied with Jerry Rice
- Most touchdown receptions 6 yards or less in NFL history (44)
- Most touchdown receptions 7 yards or less in NFL history (48)
- Most consecutive games with 2 touchdown receptions (4) - tied with Calvin Johnson
- Most consecutive seasons with 5+ touchdowns (11) - Terrell Owens, Jerry Rice, Marvin Harrison, Don Hutson, Cris Carter, Tim Brown
- Most consecutive seasons with 5+ touchdown receptions (11) - Terrell Owens, Jerry Rice, Marvin Harrison, Don Hutson, Cris Carter, Tim Brown
- First player to record a 150 yard receiving game in 3 different decades (Jerry Rice is the only other player to do so)
After football
Carter was one of the hosts of HBO's Inside the NFLInside the NFL
Inside the NFL is a weekly cable television sports show that focuses on the National Football League. It originally aired on HBO from 1977 through 2008...
and is an NFL Analyst for Yahoo Sports and ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. He is also a faculty member and assistant coach at St. Thomas Aquinas High School
St. Thomas Aquinas High School (Fort Lauderdale)
St. Thomas Aquinas High School is a private, Roman Catholic, college-preparatory high school in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA, that educates young men and women in the Catholic tradition of youth formation. The school was founded in 1936 as part of St. Anthony School...
, where his son played wide receiver in 2008. He is the owner of Cris Carter's FAST Program, a sports training center in South Florida, and is an ordained minister. He also appeared in the 2005 sports video game NFL Street 2
NFL Street 2
NFL Street 2 is American football video game developed by EA Tiburon and published by Electronic Arts. It was originally released for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube on December 22, 2004...
as a wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
for the NFL Gridiron Legends team along with former teammate, safety Joey Browner
Joey Browner
Joey Matthew Browner is a former American football strong safety for the Minnesota Vikings from 1983 until 1991.-Professional career:...
, and a few other historical NFL legends.
He was a speaker at 2008 NFL rookie symposium and again at the 2009 NFL Rookie Symposium.
Son
His son, Duron Carter, played wide receiver at Ohio State. He became a starter the second game of his true freshman season and caught his first touchdown pass against Indiana on October 3, 2009. Duron was forced to transfer to Coffeyville Community College after the 2009 season due to academic issues.Duron plans to enroll at another elite BCS school, Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
, by August 31, 2011. He's been on campus in Tuscaloosa, AL since early June 2011. Chris Carter has attended practice scrimmages at Alabama while Duron waits for administrative paperwork from his Junior college to be finalized before he can join his teammates.
External links
- Cris Carter ESPN Bio
- College football career summary from the Ohio State UniversityOhio State UniversityThe Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
website - HBO Inside the NFL: Cris Carter
- Carter's FAST Program: Sports Performance Enhancement
- http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/01/10/terrell-owens-responds-briefly-to-cris-carters-bullet-comments/1#comments
- http://www.livesteez.com/videos/watch/ziUstYz
- http://sportsmediablog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/01/does-keyshawn-have-a-double-st.html