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Cris Carter (born November 25, 1965) is a former football player. He played wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles (1987-89), the Minnesota Vikings (1990-2001) and the Miami Dolphins (2002).
Carter attended the Ohio State University and was drafted by the Eagles in the 4th round of the 1987 NFL supplemental draft. He developed quite the drug habit while playing for the Eagles. Head coach Buddy Ryan, making one of the toughest coaching decisions of his career, graciously let him slip away, and, in the process, helped to coin one of ESPN's Chris Berman's famous quotes about Carter: "All he does is catch touchdowns". Carter was signed by the Vikings, became a 4 time all pro, and played 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.
Carter is currently one of the hosts of HBO's Inside the NFL. He is also a faculty member and coach at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, and an ordained minister.
Playing Career
Philadephia Eagles 1987-89
A 4th round pick by the in the 1987 supplemental draft, Carter saw limited action during his rookie season catching just 5 passes for 84 yards and 2 TD's. His first professional catch was 22 yard TD vs. the St. Louis Cardinals.
Carter got more involved in the Eagles offense in 1988 catching 39 passes for 761 yards and tying for the team lead with 6 TD 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.
Minnesota Vikings 1990-2001
The Minnesota Vikings claimed the troubled the wide receiver off waivers on September 4, 1990 for the modest price of $100. Stuck behind Hassan Jones 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 a 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 was fired. 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 teams' 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 QB 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 recptions 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 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 9-7 record, but were routed by the Dallas Cowboys 40-15 in the Wildcard round. Carter appeared in 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. 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 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.
January 17, 1999 will forever be remembered as "Black Sunday" in Minnesota. The Vikings, 13 1/2 point favorites, led the Atlanta Falcons 27-20 with less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter when Gary Anderson attempted a 38 yard field goal. The events that ensued will torment Viking fans forever.
Anderson, who had not missed a kick all season (35-35 FG, 59-59 PAT), pulled the kick just left. Falcons QB Chris Chandler then put together the drive of his life, surgically leading his team down the field for the tying score. The Vikings got the ball back with less than a minute remaining, but elected to run out the clock and head to overtime.
In the overtime session the Vikings once unstoppable offense went cold and were unable to muster up a field goal attempt in two possessions. Atlanta took advantage and a Morten Andersen field goal sent the Falcons to their first ever Super Bowl. The defeat was devastating for the Vikings, they became the largest favorite to ever lose a home playoff game, and squandered their best chance to reach the Super Bowl during Green's tenure. Carter later said losing that game was the lone regret of his time in Minnesota.
The Vikings disappointment lingered into the 1999 season. They gained a small measure of revenge against Atlanta, defeating the Falcons 17-14 in Week 1, but then lost four of their next five games. Jeff George replaced the struggling Cunningham during the season's sixth game and led the team to an 8-2 record and a Wildcard berth. Carter had his finest individual season since 1995 - the first team All Pro caught 90 balls for 1241 yards and a NFL best 13 TDs.
The Vikings easily defeated the Dallas Cowboys 27-10 in the Wildcard 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 flurry led to a 49-37 Rams route.
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.
The Vikings released Cunningham following the 1999 season and George signed with Washington. Green then handed the quarterback reigns to second year man Daunte Culpepper. Culpepper, the eighth pick in the 1999 draft, adapted to the NFL quickly. The Vikings sped out to a 11-2 start before losing their final three games and limping into the playoffs. The NFC Central Champs easily defeated the New Orleans Saints, 34-16, in the divisional round and advanced to the NFC title game for the second time in three years.
The scene: Meadowlands - the team: the New York Giants - the line: Vikings by 7 - the final score: Giants 41 Vikings 0. It was one of the worst big game performances in sports history.
The loss left a black mark on what had been another great season for Carter - 96 receptions, 1274 yards, 9 TD, and an eighth Pro Bowl. On November 30th 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.
Depsite of the the teams' recent success, it was now apparent that Carter would not reach the Super Bowl as a Viking.
A dark cloud hovered over the Vikings in 2001. During training camp in Mankato tragedy struck when Pro Bowl tackle Korey Stringer collapsed in the sweltering heat during practice on July 31st. He never regained conscienceness and was pronounced dead early the next morning. Stringer's widow, Kelci, filed a $100 million lawsuit against the team later that year.
On the field the team struggled, the offense had lost it's swagger and the defense was in complete disarray. Green's habit of focusing on the offense at the expense of the defense had finally caught up with him. After nine games the Vikings record stood at 4-5. Things went downhill from there, starting QB Daunte Culpepper and backup Todd Bouman suffered season ending injuries which left overmatched third stinger, Spergon Wynn, to start the season's last three games.
Just when it looked like the Vikings tumultuous season would come to a peaceful close, head coach Dennis Green resigned just three days before the final game. Under interim head coach Mike Tice, the Vikings lost to the Baltimore Ravens, finishing the year 5-11. It was their first losing season since 1990.
Carter's production dipped to its lowest point since 1992 (mostly because of 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, receiving yards - 12,383, and touchdowns - 110.
Miami Dolphins 2002
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 in Week 9. Carter showed signs of rust, catching just 3 passes for 31 yards and fumbling once. During the week that followed, he check 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 reciever rotation. The team, meanwhile, lost it's final three games and missed the playoffs. Following the season, Carter retired quietly.
Trivia
- Cris Carter's older brother, Butch Carter, coached the NBA's Toronto Raptors.