Editing Cris Carter

{{Short description|American football player (born 1965)}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Similar names|Chris Carter (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name           = Cris Carter
| image          = Cris Carter HOF.JPG
| caption        = Carter in 2014
| current_team   = Florida Atlantic Owls
| number         = <!-- 80, 88 -->
| position       = <!-- [[Wide receiver]] -->Executive director of player engagement
| birth_date     = {{Birth date and age|1965|11|25|mf=y}}
| birth_place    = [[Troy, Ohio]], U.S. 
| height_ft      = 6
| height_in      = 3
| weight_lb      = 208
| high_school    = [[Middletown High School (Ohio)|Middletown]] ([[Middletown, Ohio]])
| college        = [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|Ohio State]] (1984–1986)
| suppdraftyear  = 1987
| suppdraftround = 4
| pastteams      =
* [[Philadelphia Eagles]] ({{NFL Year|1987|1989}})
* [[Minnesota Vikings]] ({{NFL Year|1990|2001}})
* [[Miami Dolphins]] ({{NFL Year|2002}})
| pastcoaching   =
* [[Florida Atlantic Owls football|Florida Atlantic]] (2023)<br/>Volunteer coach
| pastadmin      =
* [[Florida Atlantic Owls football|Florida Atlantic]] (2024–present)<br/>Executive director of player engagement
| highlights     =
* [[Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year]] (1999)
* 2× First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1994 All-Pro Team|1994]], [[1999 All-Pro Team|1999]])
* Second-team All-Pro ([[1995 All-Pro Team|1995]])
* 8× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1994 Pro Bowl|1993]]–[[2001 Pro Bowl|2000]])
* [[List of NFL annual receptions leaders|NFL receptions leader]] (1994)
* 3× [[List of National Football League season receiving touchdown leaders|NFL receiving touchdowns leader]] (1995, 1997, 1999)
* [[NFL 1990s All-Decade Team]]
* [[Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor]]
* [[Minnesota Vikings#Retired numbers|Minnesota Vikings No. 80]] retired
* [[Bart Starr Award]] (1995)
* Consensus [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1986 College Football All-America Team|1986]])
* 2× First-team [[List of All-Big Ten Conference football teams|All-Big Ten]] ([[1985 All-Big Ten Conference football team|1985]], [[1986 All-Big Ten Conference football team|1986]])
* [[Citrus Bowl|Florida Citrus Bowl]] champion ([[1985 Citrus Bowl|1985]])
* [[Cotton Bowl Classic|Cotton Bowl]] champion ([[1987 Cotton Bowl Classic|1987]])
| statlabel1     = [[Reception (gridiron football)|Receptions]]
| statvalue1     = 1,101
| statlabel2     = Receiving yards
| statvalue2     = 13,899
| statlabel3     = Receiving [[touchdown]]s
| statvalue3     = 130
| pfr            = C/CartCr00
| HOF            = cris-carter 
}}

'''Graduel Christopher Darwin Carter'''<ref>{{cite web | title=Cris Carter's real name: Graduel Christopher Darin Carter | work= cbssports.com | url=http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/eye-on-football/23016638/cris-carters-real-name-graduel-christopher-darin-carter |access-date=August 4, 2013}}</ref> (born November 25, 1965) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] [[wide receiver]] who played in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] (1987–1989), the [[Minnesota Vikings]] (1990–2001) and the [[Miami Dolphins]] (2002).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CartCr00.htm |title=Cris Carter NFL Football Statistics |publisher=Pro-Football-Reference.com |access-date=August 7, 2013}}</ref> He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wide receivers of all time.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kenyon |first=David |date=October 3, 2018 |title=The Top 11 NFL Wide Receivers of All Time |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2797941-the-top-10-nfl-wide-receivers-of-all-time |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220405022007/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2797941-the-top-10-nfl-wide-receivers-of-all-time |archive-date=April 5, 2022 |access-date=August 16, 2022 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Harrison |first=Elliot |title=Ten best receivers of all time |url=https://www.nfl.com/photos/ten-best-receivers-of-all-time-0ap3000000642432 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220603150608/https://www.nfl.com/photos/ten-best-receivers-of-all-time-0ap3000000642432 |archive-date=June 3, 2022 |access-date=August 16, 2022 |website=NFL.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tallent |first=Aaron |date=February 18, 2022 |title=25 Greatest Wide Receivers in NFL History and one of the worst announcers in sports history. 
|url=https://athlonsports.com/nfl/25-greatest-wide-receivers-nfl-history |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220405075026/https://athlonsports.com/nfl/25-greatest-wide-receivers-nfl-history |archive-date=April 5, 2022 |access-date=August 16, 2022 |website=AthlonSports.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Patuto |first=Greg |date=May 15, 2020 |title=Ranking The 20 Greatest NFL Wide Receivers Of All Time |url=https://clutchpoints.com/ranking-the-20-greatest-nfl-wide-receivers-of-all-time/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220207200923/https://clutchpoints.com/ranking-the-20-greatest-nfl-wide-receivers-of-all-time/ |archive-date=February 7, 2022 |access-date=August 16, 2022 |website=ClutchPoints |language=en-US}}</ref>

Carter played [[college football]] for the [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|Ohio State Buckeyes]] and was selected by the Eagles in the fourth round of the [[NFL Draft#Supplemental draft|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 and one-time second-team All-Pro and playing in eight consecutive [[Pro Bowl]]s. 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/82 |title=Cris Carter &#124; Miami Dolphins &#124; NFL |publisher=Yahoo! Sports |access-date=August 7, 2013}}</ref>

Since retiring from the NFL, Carter has worked on [[HBO]]'s ''[[Inside the NFL]],'' [[ESPN]]'s ''[[Sunday NFL Countdown]]'' and ''[[Monday Night Countdown]]'', and online at [[Yahoo]] Sports.<ref>[http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2010/04/05/carter_cris/] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120523180657/http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2010/04/05/carter_cris/|date=May 23, 2012}}</ref> He also works as an assistant coach at [[St. Thomas Aquinas High School (Fort Lauderdale)|St. Thomas Aquinas High School]], where his son played wide receiver. In 2017, Carter began co-hosting ''First Things First'' with Nick Wright on [[Fox Sports 1|FS1]]. He was terminated from the show following a suspension and investigation in 2019. Carter resides in [[Boca Raton]], Florida. He is the brother of former NBA player and coach [[Butch Carter]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yatedo.com/p/Butch+Carter/famous/66558128bddaa0334630a953bcb1af41 |title=Butch Carter - Basketball player, Coach |publisher=Yatedo.com |access-date=August 7, 2013}}</ref>

After six years, and five finalist selections, Carter was voted to the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] on February 2, 2013.<ref>{{cite news|last=Corbett|first=Jim|title=Parcells, Carter finally make Pro Football Hall of Fame|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2013/02/02/nfl-hall-of-fame-announcement/1886453/|publisher=USA Today|access-date=February 2, 2013|date=February 2, 2013}}</ref>

==Early life==
Carter was born in [[Troy, Ohio]]. For elementary school he went to Heywood Elementary in Troy, Ohio.  He spent his early childhood there before moving to [[Middletown, Ohio]], with his mother, three brothers, and two sisters. They lived in a small four-bedroom apartment.<ref>{{cite web|author=LZ Granderson |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/print?id=3229681&type=story |title=Cris Carter has something even more special than the Hall |work=ESPN.com |date=February 4, 2008 |access-date=August 7, 2013}}</ref> He attended [[Middletown High School (Ohio)|Middletown High School]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20130202/SPT02/130202008/Middletown-s-Cris-Carter-makes-Hall-6th-attempt |title=Middletown's Cris Carter makes Hall in 6th attempt |publisher=Cincinnati.com |date=February 2, 2013 |access-date=August 7, 2013}}</ref> and starred in both football and basketball.

Named after his grandfather, Graduel, Carter dropped his birth name and unofficially changed his name to Cris after wide receiver [[Cris Collinsworth]] (whom he idolized), stating that he would never be famous with the name Graduel. According to Carter on [[ESPN Radio]]'s "[[Mike & Mike]]" (on September 15, 2014), he dropped the name during 7th grade, and his name is still listed as Christopher on official documents, including his driver's license.

==College career==
Carter was heavily recruited out of high school for both basketball and football. He accepted the offer to attend [[Ohio State University]] from [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|Buckeyes]] head coach [[Earle Bruce]]. Carter became a consensus [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] selection after his junior season, Ohio State's first All American at wide receiver.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.landgrantholyland.com/2013/2/2/3945464/former-buckeye-cris-carter-makes-nfl-hall-of-fame |title=Former Ohio State receiver Cris Carter makes NFL Hall of Fame |publisher=Land-Grant Holy Land |date=February 2, 2013 |access-date=August 7, 2013}}</ref>

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 (game)|Rose Bowl]] record with nine receptions for 172 yards.  In his junior season, he caught 69 passes for 1,127 yards and 11 touchdowns.
[[File:Ohio State Buckeyes versus the Colorado Buffaloes football game - DPLA - 21661ddbb459d47bc4186a00ff2ff20d (cropped).jpg|thumb|Carter at Ohio State in 1986|left]]
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 Ohio State Buckeyes football team|1985 season]], Carter caught a ball that [[quarterback]] [[Jim Karsatos]] was intending to throw away.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80sLiZ-eh-E| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211107/80sLiZ-eh-E| archive-date=2021-11-07 | url-status=live|title=Cris Carter's One-Handed Grab -- 1985 Citrus Bowl| date=November 26, 2012|via=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}</ref> 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]] [[1988 in organized crime|Norby Walters]].  When the contract was discovered, Carter was ruled ineligible. The absence of Carter in the [[1987 Ohio State Buckeyes football team|1987]] offense contributed to a disappointing 6&ndash;4&ndash;1 season and the firing of Coach Bruce. Missing this season also cost him a chance at evening his personal record against Michigan; Carter finished 1–2, his lone taste of victory in the series being his freshman year.

Despite losing his senior year, Carter left Ohio State holding the school record for receptions (168), gaining 2,725 yards and 27 touchdowns from them. 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]].

==Professional career==

===Philadelphia Eagles===
A fourth round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1987 supplemental draft,<ref>{{Cite web |title=1987 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1987/draft.htm |access-date=2023-10-01 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> 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 [[1987 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season|St. Louis Cardinals]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198711010crd.htm |title=Philadelphia Eagles at St. Louis Cardinals - November 1st, 1987 |publisher=Pro-Football-Reference.com |date=November 1, 1987 |access-date=August 7, 2013}}</ref>
 
Carter got more involved in the [[1988 Philadelphia Eagles season|Eagles]] offense in [[1988 NFL season|1988]] catching 39 passes for 761 yards and tying for the team lead with 6 scoring receptions. In [[1989 NFL season|1989]], he became the teams' primary red zone receiver, leading the [[1989 Philadelphia Eagles season|Eagles]] with 11 touchdown catches (3rd in the NFC) while hauling in 45 passes for 605 yards.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/phi/1988_roster.htm |title=1988 Philadelphia Eagles Starters, Roster, & Players |publisher=Pro-Football-Reference.com |access-date=August 7, 2013}}</ref>
 
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 abuse|alcohol]] and [[drug abuse]], including large amounts of [[Ecstasy (drug)|ecstasy]], [[cocaine]] and [[marijuana]], and credits his former coach with helping him turn his life around as a result.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2013/2/2/3945808/nfl-hall-of-fame-2013-former-eagle-cris-carter-inducted |title=NFL hall of fame 2013: Former Eagle Cris Carter inducted |publisher=Bleeding Green Nation |date=February 2, 2013 |access-date=August 7, 2013}}</ref>

===Minnesota Vikings===
The Minnesota Vikings claimed the troubled wide receiver off waivers on September 4, 1990, for only $100. Stuck behind [[Hassan Jones]] and resident star receiver, [[Anthony Carter (American football)|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 touchdown, in a ''[[Monday Night Football|Monday Night]]'' contest at Philadelphia on October 15. Carter finished the [[1990 NFL season|1990 campaign]] with 27 receptions for 413 yards and 3 touchdowns.

In [[1991 NFL season|1991]], Carter stepped forward as Minnesota's top pass catcher. He led the team with 72 receptions, 962 yards, and 5 touchdown catches. The winds of change were blowing in Minnesota; after a second straight disappointing season head coach [[Jerry Burns]] retired. [[Stanford Cardinal football|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 (football player)|Wade Wilson]] and traded DT [[Keith Millard]] to the [[Seattle Seahawks]].

The [[1992 Minnesota Vikings season|Vikings]] returned to NFL prominence in [[1992 NFL season|1992]], posting an 11&ndash;5 record and capturing their first NFC Central Division title since 1989. With [[Rich Gannon]] and [[Sean Salisbury]] alternating at QB, Carter remained the team's primary aerial weapon—leading the team with 53 receptions, 681 yards, and 6 touchdowns despite missing the final four games of the season with a broken collar bone. The Vikings season ended in disappointment, however, as the defending Super Bowl champions [[1992 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]] upended them 24&ndash;7 in the Wild Card round.

In [[1993 NFL season|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 touchdowns — all team highs, and appeared in his first [[1993 Pro Bowl|Pro Bowl]]. The [[1993 Minnesota Vikings season|Vikings]] finished the season 9&ndash;7, good enough for a playoff berth, but fell 17–10 to the [[1993 New York Giants season|New York Giants]] in the Wild Card round. 
 
Veteran quarterback [[Warren Moon]] was acquired before the [[1994 NFL season|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]]). Carter also led the team with 1,256 yards and 7 receiving touchdowns, which earned him First-team All Pro honors. Moon and Carter carried the [[1994 Minnesota Vikings season|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 [[1994 Chicago Bears season|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 touchdown 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 (American football)|Brad Johnson]] took over at QB for the Vikings. Carter didn't miss a beat, catching 96 passes for 1,163 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Vikings returned to the playoffs with a 9&ndash;7 record, but were routed by the [[Dallas Cowboys]] 40–15 in the Wild Card 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 touchdown 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.

[[File:Cris Carter HOF jersey.jpg|thumb|270px|Cris Carter jersey shown at Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio]]
In 1998 the Vikings drafted [[Marshall Thundering Herd football|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 touchdowns. 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 [[1998 NFC Championship Game|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, and that he didn't even know if he wanted to play anymore afterwards.

The following year, Carter had his finest individual season since 1995— the First-team All Pro caught 90 passes for 1,241 yards and an NFL-best 13 touchdowns. The Vikings easily defeated the Dallas Cowboys 27–10 in the Wild Card round and headed to [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]] to face the NFL's [[The Greatest Show on Turf|new hottest offense]]. Minnesota led the eventual [[Super Bowl]] champions 17&ndash;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, 1,274 yards, 9 touchdowns, and an eighth Pro Bowl.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cris Carter 2000 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CartCr00/gamelog/2000/ |access-date=2024-10-18 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> 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 touchdowns — and his streak of eight straight Pro Bowls came to an end.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cris Carter 2001 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CartCr00/gamelog/2001/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> 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).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/min/2001.htm |title=2001 Minnesota Vikings Statistics & Players |publisher=Pro-Football-Reference.com |access-date=August 7, 2013}}</ref>

===Miami Dolphins===
Carter spent the spring of 2002 looking for a team. Although he talked 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 Boca Raton resident started in his first game as a Dolphin at [[Lambeau Field]] in Week 9. Carter showed signs of rust, catching just three 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 one-handed 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. Even though he put up respectable numbers for the number of games that he played, he retired after the season.

===Legacy===
At the time of his retirement, Carter's 1,101 career receptions and 130 touchdowns as a receiver placed him second in NFL history behind Jerry Rice, although his reception total has since been surpassed by Marvin Harrison, and his touchdown receptions by Randy Moss and [[Terrell Owens]].  Carter is one of 14 players in NFL history with 1,000 or more receptions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/rec_career.htm|title=NFL Receptions Career Leaders|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com}}</ref>  He was named to the [[National Football League 1990s All-Decade Team|NFL 1990s All-Decade Team]]. Carter was one of 15 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 (American football)|Tim Brown]] became eligible for the first time, though Brown did not make it.<ref name="Rice, Smith land spots in Hall of Fame">{{cite news|url=http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/35271598/ns/sports-nfl/|title=Rice, Smith land spots in Hall of Fame|access-date=February 6, 2010|agency=Associated Press|date=February 6, 2010|publisher=NBC Sports|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100208055447/http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/35271598/ns/sports-nfl/|archive-date=February 8, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RASB4uIMzQc | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814120459/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RASB4uIMzQc&gl=US&hl=en&amp;has_verified=1| archive-date=2011-08-14 | url-status=dead|title=Top 10 Greatest Hands - Cris Carter |publisher=YouTube |date=December 1, 2009 |access-date=August 7, 2013}}</ref>

On February 2, 2013, Carter was announced as an inductee into the Hall of Fame Class of 2013 along with [[Bill Parcells]], [[Larry Allen]], [[Jonathan Ogden]], [[Warren Sapp]], [[Curley Culp]], and [[Dave Robinson (American football)|Dave Robinson]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/8908467/larry-allen-cris-carter-jonathan-ogden-bill-parcells-warren-sapp-inducted-pro-football-hall-fame |title=Larry Allen, Cris Carter, Jonathan Ogden, Bill Parcells, Warren Sapp inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame |publisher=ESPN |date=February 3, 2013 |access-date=August 7, 2013}}</ref>

==NFL career statistics==
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2"| Legend
|-
| style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"|
| Led the league
|-
| '''Bold'''
| Career high
|}

{{NFL WR stats alt}}
|-
! {{nfly|1987}} || [[1987 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| 9 || 0 || rowspan = 5 | —{{efn|Data for the Targets statistic prior to the [[1992 NFL season|1992 season]] is missing from the [[Pro-Football-Reference.com|Pro Football Reference]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Lynch|first=Mike|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/blog/2016/01/find-nfl-yards-per-target-leaders-since-1992/|title=Find NFL Yards Per Target Leaders Since 1992|publisher=Sports-Reference|date=January 14, 2016|access-date=September 26, 2017}}</ref>}} || 5 || 84 || 16.8 || 9.3 || 2 
|-
! {{nfly|1988}} || [[1988 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| 16 || 16 || 39 || 761 || '''19.5''' || 47.6 || 6
|-
! {{nfly|1989}} || [[1989 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| 16 || 15 || 45 || 605 || 13.4 || 37.8 || 11
|-
! {{nfly|1990}} || [[1990 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]
| 16 || 5 || 27 || 413 || 15.3 || 25.8 || 3
|-
! {{nfly|1991}} || [[1991 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]
| 16 || 16 || 72 || 962 || 13.4 || 60.1 || 5
|-
! {{nfly|1992}} || [[1992 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]
| 12 || 12 || 92 || 53 || 681 || 12.8 || 56.8 || 6
|-
! {{nfly|1993}} || [[1993 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]
| 16 || 16 || 143 || 86 || 1,071 || 12.5 || 66.9 || 9
|-
! {{nfly|1994}} || [[1994 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]
| 16 || 16 || 188 || style="background:#cfecec;"|'''122''' || 1,256 || 10.3 || 78.5 || 7
|-
! {{nfly|1995}} || [[1995 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]
| 16 || 16 || '''197''' || '''122''' || '''1,371''' || 11.2 || '''85.7''' || style="background:#cfecec;"|'''17'''
|-
! {{nfly|1996}} || [[1996 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]
| 16 || 16 || 167 || 96 || 1,163 || 12.1 || 72.7 || 10
|-
! {{nfly|1997}} || [[1997 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]
| 16 || 16 || 158 || 89 || 1,069 || 12.0 || 66.8 || style="background:#cfecec;"|13
|-
! {{nfly|1998}} || [[1998 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]
| 16 || 16 || 125 || 78 || 1,011 || 13.0 || 63.2 || 12
|-
! {{nfly|1999}} || [[1999 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]
| 16 || 16 || 137 || 90 || 1,241 || 13.8 || 77.6 || style="background:#cfecec;"|13
|-
! {{nfly|2000}} || [[2000 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]
| 16 || 16 || 161 || 96 || 1,274 || 13.3 || 79.6 || 9
|-
! {{nfly|2001}} || [[2001 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]
| 16 || 16 || 130 || 73 || 871 || 11.9 || 54.4 || 6
|-
! {{nfly|2002}} || [[2002 Miami Dolphins season|MIA]]
| 5 || 1 || 17 || 8 || 66 || 8.3 || 13.2 || 1
|- class="sortbottom"
! colspan="2"| Career || 234 || 209 || 1,515 || 1,101 || 13,899 || 12.6 || 59.4 || 130
|}

===Career notables===
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=March 2016}}
* One of four players to record at least 120 receptions in a season twice, 1994 and 1995 ([[Wes Welker]], [[Antonio Brown]], [[Michael Thomas (wide receiver, born 1993)|Michael Thomas]])<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/most-seasons-with-120-receptions|title=Most seasons with 120 receptions|website=StatMuse.com|publisher=StatMuse|access-date=November 6, 2023}}</ref> 
* Most games with at least 12 receptions in a single season (4) in 1995<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/most-12-reception-games-in-a-single-season|title=Most 12 reception games in a single season|website=StatMuse.com|publisher=StatMuse|access-date=November 6, 2023}}</ref> 
* One of three players (Clarke Gaines and Jerry Rice) to record at least 12 receptions in consecutive games
* Most consecutive games with 2 touchdown receptions (4) – tied with Calvin Johnson and Doug Baldwin
* Most consecutive seasons with at least 5 touchdown receptions, 1991–2001 (11) – [[Terrell Owens]], [[Jerry Rice]], [[Marvin Harrison]], [[Don Hutson]], and [[Tim Brown (American football)|Tim Brown]]
* Most consecutive seasons with at least 5 touchdowns, 1991–2001 (11) – Terrell Owens, Jerry Rice, Marvin Harrison, Don Hutson, Tim Brown, and [[Frank Gore]]
* First player to record a 150-yard receiving game in three different decades (Jerry Rice is the only other player to do so)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/cris-carter-150-yard-receiving-games|title=Cris Carter 150 yard receiving games|website=StatMuse.com|publisher=StatMuse|access-date=November 6, 2023}}</ref>
* Member of 2013 Hall of Fame Class
*Only guest on Good Morning Football to get the ball on the peg during The Long Show on February 2, 2022.

==After football==
Carter was one of the hosts of [[HBO]]'s ''[[Inside the NFL]]'' and also was an NFL Analyst for [[Yahoo]] Sports and [[ESPN]]. He is also a faculty member and assistant coach at [[St. Thomas Aquinas High School (Fort Lauderdale)|St. Thomas Aquinas High School]], where his son played wide receiver in 2008. He is the owner of [http://www.fastprogram.com 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.

Carter was a speaker at the 2008 NFL rookie symposium<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d809216d2 |title=Cris Carter's speech to the rookies |work=Nfl.com |access-date=August 7, 2013}}</ref> and again at the 2009 NFL Rookie Symposium.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.nfl.com/2009/07/01/colorful-conclusion-to-the-rookie-symposium |title=Colorful conclusion to NFL's rookie symposium |work=NFL.com |date=July 1, 2009 |access-date=August 7, 2013}}</ref> He also spoke at the 2014 NFL rookie symposium, where he encouraged players to get a [[fall guy]] they can trust to take the blame if they get in trouble. The comments were revealed in 2015 in an [[ESPN Magazine|''ESPN The Magazine'']] story about [[Chris Borland]].<ref name="s790">{{cite web | last1=Fainaru | first1=Steve | last2=Fainaru-Wada | first2=Mark | title=Why Chris Borland is the most dangerous man in football | website=ESPN.com | date=2015-08-20 | url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/13463272/how-former-san-francisco-49ers-chris-borland-retirement-change-nfl-forever | access-date=2024-09-19}}</ref> The NFL took the video of the speech down from its website and released a statement saying in part: "The comment was not representative of the message of the symposium or any other league program...The comment was not repeated in the 2014 AFC session or this year's symposium." Carter apologized on [[Twitter]], saying he realized it was bad advice, and everyone should take responsibility for their own actions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/experts/|title=Yahoo Sports NFL|website=sports.yahoo.com}}</ref> [[ESPN]] also released a statement saying Carter's comments do not reflect the company's views.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://brobible.com/sports/article/cris-carter-nfl-rookies-fall-guy/|title=Cris Carter Advised NFL Rookies To Get A 'Fall Guy' To Cover Up Their Crimes|first=Jorge|last=Alonso|date=August 23, 2015}}</ref>

Carter was chosen to be a coach for a team in the [[2015 Pro Bowl]], along with former [[Dallas Cowboys]] wide receiver [[Michael Irvin]].

In December 2016, Carter was hired by [[Fox Sports (United States)|Fox Sports]] as a football analyst. In May 2017, his role was expanded as it was announced that Carter would co-host a morning show, ''First Things First'', on [[Fox Sports 1]] with radio personality Nick Wright and moderator [[Jenna Wolfe]]. The show premiered on September 5, 2017. His tenure ended in November 2019 following a suspension.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Glasspiegel |first1=Ryan |title=Cris Carter Out at Fox Sports |url=https://www.thebiglead.com/posts/cris-carter-out-at-fox-sports-01ds35ekdgk7 |website=The Big Lead |date=November 7, 2019}}</ref>

Since 2021 he has been part of ''[[Good Morning Football]]'' as an analyst.

In fall 2023, Carter joined [[Florida Atlantic Owls football|Florida Atlantic]] under head coach [[Tom Herman]] as a volunteer coach.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cris Carter - Executive Director of Player Engagement - Football Support Staff |url=https://fausports.com/sports/football/roster/staff/cris-carter/403 |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=Florida Atlantic University Athletics |language=en}}</ref> Following the season he was promoted to executive director of player engagement.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-15 |title=NFL Hall of Famer Cris Carter Joins Owls' Staff |url=https://fausports.com/news/2023/11/15/football-nfl-hall-of-famer-cris-carter-joins-owls-staff.aspx |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=Florida Atlantic University Athletics |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=November 17, 2023 |title=Hall of Famer Cris Carter joining FAU football program as Director of Player Engagement |url=https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/sports/college/football/2023/11/17/hall-of-famer-cris-carter-joining-fau-football-program-as-director-of-player-engagement/71610945007/ |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=The Palm Beach Post |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Carter is a Christian and has two children. His daughter, Monterae works in philanthropy. His son, [[Duron Carter]], played wide receiver at Ohio State in 2009 and [[Coffeyville Community College]] in 2010, and played for several [[Canadian Football League]] teams. Cris is the younger brother of ex-NBA player and coach [[Butch Carter]].

==References==
{{Reflist|33em}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
*{{Footballstats |nfl=cris-carter |cfl= |afl= |espn=10 |cbs= |yahoo= |fox= |si= |pfr=C/CartCr00 |rotoworld=}}
*{{IMDb name|1239358}}

{{Navboxes
| title = Cris Carter—awards, championships, and honors
| list =
{{1986 NCAA Division I-A College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{Eagles1987DraftPicks}}
{{Bart Starr Award}}
{{Walter Payton Man of the Year Award}}
{{"Whizzer" White NFL Man of the Year}}
{{NFL receptions leaders}}
{{NFL receiving touchdown leaders}}
{{1000 Catch Club}}
{{NFL1990s}}
{{Minnesota Vikings}}
{{Vikings Retired Numbers}}
{{Vikings Ring Of Honor}}
{{2013 Football HOF}}
{{Pro Football Hall of Fame members}}
}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Carter, Cris}}
[[Category:1965 births]]
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[[Category:Ohio State Buckeyes football players]]
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[[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]]
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