Cris Carter 1965–

Professional football player

Carter Controversy

A Rough Start

A Key Player

Sources

Cris Carter, one of the most prolific and highly-paid wide receivers in the National Football League (NFL), did not look like he would rise to his potential in the early rocky years of his career. However, this star athlete moved beyond scandal and setbacks to break several records and lead his Minnesota Viking team to victory. Not only is he a star on the field, but he is also widely recognized for his community service and charitable work off the field, setting an example for other athletes to follow.

Cris Carter was born in Middletown, Ohio, in 1965. He and his older brother Butch excelled at both basketball and football as kids. Butch would grow up to play seven years in the National Basketball Association, but Cris chose football as his sport. At Middletown High School he caught 80 passes for over 2000 yards. He was named to the 1993 Parade All-American Team and was heavily recruited by several major college football programs. Carter decided to go to Ohio State University (OSU) where he continued to excel at football. By the end of his junior year he had been chosen to the All Big Ten Team twice, and was the Buckeyes’ all-time leader in receptions (168) and touchdown catches (27). In his junior year he set OSU single-season marks for touchdown receptions (11) and receiving yards (1,127). His Big Ten-leading 68 catches earned him first team All-American honors with one year of college left. But he would never see that last year at OSU.

Carter Controversy

On April 23, 1987 the school announced that Carter was suspended for rules violations. Soon it became clear that Carter had done more than the typical youthful indiscretion common among college students. On July 16, OSU declared Carter ineligible for his senior season of college football because he accepted money and signed a contract with sports agents Lloyd Bloom and Norby Walters. The NFL then announced that it would hold a supplemental draft that summer to select players who had been caught up in the widespread sports agent scandal—a move that infuriated college football officials. When Carter and others tried to regain their college eligibility, the NFL decided to wait to hold its supplemental draft, but the NCAA upheld its ban against the players who had signed with agents. Carter lost his senior season of college football, but soon had

At a Glance…

Born Cris Carter in Middletown, Ohio, November 25, 1965; married Meiante Carter; children: Duron Christopher and Monteray, Education: Attended Ohio State University.

Career; Drafted in the 1987 supplemental draft by the Philadelphia Eagles; was released by the team before the 1990 season and claimed off waivers by the Minnesota Vikings; signed with the Vikings through the 2,001 season.

Awards: Six-time Pro Bowl selection; two-time recipient of the NFL Extra Effort Award; recipient of Athletes in Action’s Bart Starr Award, 1995; Midwest Sports Channel Citizen Athlete Award, 1995.

Addresses: Vikings Office— 9520 Viking Drive, Eden Prairie, MN 55344.

more to worry about than the loss of his eligibility. A federal grand jury investigating the payments to college athletes by sports agents named Carter in the probe’s criminal charges. The federal racketeering investigation also named agents Lloyd Bloom, Norby Walters, and David Luedbeke for making improper payments and threats of violence while Carter was indicted on charges of mail fraud and obstruction of justice. In the end, Carter pleaded guilty to defrauding the school and concealing the money given to him by agents. He was sentenced to pay a $15,000 fine and perform 600 hours of community service. By the time he was sentenced, Carter was chosen in the fourth round of the 1987 supplemental draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.

A Rough Start

Carter spent three mediocre seasons in Philadelphia. Though he showed glimpses of brilliance—averaging 19.5 yards a catch in 1988 and leading the Eagles with 11 touchdown receptions in 1989—he was looked on by some as a bust. Then Coach Buddy Ryan, irritated by Carter’s lack of work ethic, released the seemingly ill-fated wide receiver before the 1990 season. The Minnesota Vikings claimed Carter off waivers on September 4, 1990, and his career took off from there. The player some accused of being a cancer early in his career would go on to become one of the most respected, accomplished, and highest-paid players in the league.

In his second season with the Vikings, Carter led the team in receptions (72) and receiving yards (962) and tied for first on the team with five touchdown receptions. Carter put in another solid season in 1992 and in 1993 he was named to the Pro Bowl. Now living up to his potential as a football player, Carter evolved off the field as well. By the end of the 1993 season, Carter and his wife Melanie had two children, Duron and Monteray. The one-time outlaw of the college football world also became recognized for his good deeds. In September of 1994 Carter received the NFL Extra Effort Award for outstanding community service activities. In 1995 he was given the Athletes in Action’s Bart Starr Award for outstanding leadership and character on and off the field. He also received the Midwest Sports Channel Citizen Athlete Award. By the 1996 off-season, Carter had become an ordained minister.

Carter’s off-field transformation was exceeded only by his accomplishments on the field. In 1994 he made 122 receptions, then the league record. He was selected to the Pro Bowl again, this time as a starter. In 1995 he caught 122 passes again, giving him the most catches ever over a two-year period. Carter scored 17 touchdowns racking up 1,371 yards and was again named to the Pro Bowl. The following season Carter led the Vikings in catches (96) for the sixth straight season and went to the Pro Bowl for the fourth straight time. The 1997 season followed Carter’s pattern of excellence. He was named to his fifth straight Pro Bowl after leading the league in touchdown catches (13) and finishing fourth in the league in receptions (89) while racking up 1,069 yards receiving.

A Key Player

After the 1997 season the team went through some big changes, and Carter was a central figure in all of them. The Vikings signed Carter to a four-year contract extension worth $23.5 million, making him the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL. At the time of the signing Minnesota Vikings Vice President Jeff Diamond said, “We’re really pleased to get Cris signed for several more years so he can finish his career as a Viking. His tremendous ability as a player combined with his great leadership and strong presence in the community makes him so important to the future of the Vikings.” Another big element for the Vikings was head coach Dennis Green’s decision to remain with Minnesota. After numerous disputes with Vikings’ management Green was pondering leaving the team, but Carter told Curt Sylvester of the Detroit Free Press that he counseled Green to stay in Minnesota: “I know he’s a fighter, and I wanted him to continue to fight. Regardless of who else they would have brought in to coach the team, I don’t believe someone else should benefit from his hard work. And the situation worked out well.”

Green consulted Carter again when it came to drafting the brilliant but troubled wide receiver Randy Moss. After 19 teams passed on Moss, the Vikings selected him in the first round. Carter quickly called his new team member and the two became workout partners. Moss told Sports Illustrated’s Jack McCallum about his mentor: “He plays the biggest role of anyone. Cris is the main guy.” The two were even featured in television commercials for ESPN’s new magazine. Though Moss grabbed most of the headlines and won the Rookie of the Year award in Minnesota’s record-breaking offense in 1998, Carter quietly led the team in receptions and made his sixth straight trip to the Pro Bowl. After the 1998 season he was ranked first in receptions (745), receiving yards (8,997), and touchdown receptions (82) in Vikings’ team history. He became the sixth player in NFL history to make 800 career receptions and after the 1998 season stood fourth on the all-time career reception list with 834. In addition to winning the NFL Extra Effort Award again during the 1998 season, he and the Kansas City Chiefs’ William White founded the Carter-White Charitable Foundation. The non-profit organization helps underprivileged children in a variety of areas from football camps to preparing for college entrance exams. Echoing the Vikings’ young star receiver Randy Moss, clearly Cris Carter is the main guy to many people both on and off the field.

Sources

Periodicals

The Atlanta Constitution, April 25, 1989.

The Atlanta Journal and Atlanta Constitution, September 17, 1988.

Detroit Free Press, January 16, 1999.

Sports Illustrated, January 18, 1999.

Other

Additional statistics and press releases were found at http://www.nfl.comA/ikings/news/0722carter.htm. http://www.nf1.com/players/news/1377.htm. http://www.nf1.com/players/highlights/1377.htm.

—Michael J. Watkins