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One of the most illustrious pass catchers in NFL history, Cris Carter, the former Minnesota Vikings star receiver, started a new chapter in his storied career when he joined HBO's Inside the NFL in 2002. From the start, Carter earned high marks for his keen game analysis and sharp opinions.
Drafted out of Ohio State University by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1987, Carter's first reception as a pro was a 22-yard touchdown catch. He went on to a stellar NFL career spanning 15 years, including 12 years with the Minnesota Vikings. Coupling stunning athletic ability with durability, Carter played a full 16-game slate for 13 seasons and appeared in eight consecutive Pro Bowls. In 1999, he became only the second player in NFL history to catch 1,000 passes, putting him into the history books alongside Jerry Rice. Carter, 36, ranks second on the NFL's all-time list for total receptions (1,101) and receiving touchdowns (130). He was named to the All-Decade Team (1990) by the Pro-Football-Hall-of-Fame Selection Committee and received the 1999 NFL Man of the Year award. In 2002, Carter returned to the field when he joined the Miami Dolphins in midseason when injuries decimated their receiving corps.
In addition to his on field accomplishments, Cris has been an active member of the community. He established the Carter-White Charitable Foundations for underprivileged children and created the Viking Super Challenge, which challenges students to stay in school and away from drugs. He also created the Cris Carter Academic Honor Roll Program that recognizes high school athletes that excel on the field and in the classroom. He sits on the Board of Directors for Builders of Dreams for Youth (BODY) and the Starlight Foundation, serving as one of its International Ambassadors.
He is also heard nationally on Sirius Radio discussing an array of topics in the NFL.
In 1996 Cris obtained one of his greatest personal accomplishments when he became an ordained minister.
Cris resides in Boca Raton, Florida with his wife and their two children.September 12, 2007 by Elliott KalbThe NFL has never been more exciting to watch, and the reason is the overall play at the wide receiver position. In many respects, this parallels the NBA, which has changed from showcasing the big men in the middle to the playmakers like D-Wade, Kobe, and Lebron. The NFL has an answer for those superstars, and they all play the same position. Chad Johnson intends to find the end zone in each game, and has planned to entertain us each time. Is there a more valuable player--and breathtaking to watch--than Steve Smith? Randy Moss--the best wide receiver in the late '90s--showed that he can still take over a game, and season.
But it's not just the elite receivers that are turning me and other fans on. Each week, there are spectacular plays from the playmakers. How do they keep their feet inbounds? How do they blow past the equally fast cornerbacks? And most impressively, how do they muster the courage to run routes in the middle of the field, assured that they will be given a punishing blow?
For most of the first eight decades of NFL history, the very best athletes didn't play very far from the snap of the football. The best players were backs (quarterbacks who passed, running backs who ran). Eventually, teams passed more than they ran. In the 1960s and '70s, most teams were content to have one possession receiver, and one speed burner. Even with a great crop of all-time quarterbacks came on the scene in the 1980s, it's not like there were an equal number of Hall of Fame wide receivers. Think about it. The 1980s were about the quarterbacks like Dan Marino and John Elway and Warren Moon and Jim Kelly and Bernie Kosar. The 1990s were about the running backs. Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders and Thurman Thomas and Curtis Martin and Jerome Bettis and Marshall Faulk came on the scene, and dominated the game.
Here's what I see when I watch the NFL in the mid-2000s. I see every team having at least one terrific receiver. Good teams need two. And incredibly, a number of organizations are investing a good portion of their cap money into three quality receivers. That's never happened. Today, we see teams like the Detroit Lions. They have a solid quarterback, but spectacular receivers. An offensive guru like Mike Martz can utilize Roy Williams, Calvin Johnson, and Mike Furrey at one time. The Bengals have Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzdeh, and (when not under suspension) Chris Henry. The Patriots have a new trio of weapons for Tom Brady to use that rank with the best in the league (Donte Stallworth, Wes Welker, and Moss). Peyton Manning could probably make Moe, Larry, and Curly into good-looking wide receivers, but the fact is that the Colts' Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne would improve any team they played on. For most of the first eight decades of NFL history, the very best athletes didn't play very far from the snap of the football. The best players were backs (quarterbacks who passed, running backs who ran). Eventually, teams passed more than they ran. There have always been teams that have had two great wide receivers. In the 1970s, the Steelers had John Stallworth and Lynn Swann. In the late '70s, and early '80s, the Chargers had three great receivers--but only if you included tight end Kellen Winslow. Miami had the "Marx Brothers"--Mark Duper and Mark Clayton--together for eight years in the 1980s. And in the late 1990s, the Vikings had Moss and Cris Carter together. Those tandems were terrific. But today, teams have three receivers putting up big numbers and big plays on a weekly basis.
There are still great quarterbacks in the league. But more often than not, there are big play receivers on teams without the superstar quarterback. Put the Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin on the Indianapolis Colts, and they would obliterate the record books. Andre Johnson led the NFL in catches last year playing with serviceable quarterback David Carr. He is off to a quick start with new Texans quarterback Matt Schaub. The point I'm making is this. Boldin and Fitzgerald and Andre Johnson and others have superstar ability. And they're not on anyone's top list of wide receivers in 2007. Muhsin Muhammad is a wonderful wide receiver, and has been for the length of his career. Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer make plays that defy explanation. How can anyone not watch Rod Smith over the course of his career, and appreciate his efforts? (Maybe because so many of the great receivers have common names like Rod Smith, Jimmy Smith, not to mention the many Johnsons). Hines Ward, like other top receivers, not only make big plays for themselves, they make perfect blocks downfield for their running backs.
We are in the golden age of wide receivers. They may only get four or five "at-bats" per game, but it's worth the price of admission to see those four or five touches. We acknowledge in a baseball game that the best offensive players may only get five chances per game (less if teams choose to walk those players intentionally). It's the same now with wide receivers, who often draw more than just single coverage. We watch professional team sports to see the great athletes perform. The most exciting players in the NFL right now are the wide receivers. Teams like Detroit spend their high first-round draft picks (seemingly every year) on wide receivers now. Teams like Chicago take the talented defensive player and returner Devin Hester--and move him to wide receiver.
Until Jerry Rice came along in the 1980s, I didn't think it was possible for a wide receiver to have as big an impact on a game as a quarterback or running back. Rice proved me wrong. And if you need any more proof, consider this. In the first 38 years of the Super Bowl, only three wide receivers were voted MVP of the game. In the last three years, both Hines Ward and Deion Branch were deserving MVPs