Ohio State University
Cris Carter played for which team before Jun 1984?
Cris Carter Christopher Darin Carter ( born November 25 , 1965 ) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles ( 1987–1989 ) , the Minnesota Vikings ( 1990–2001 ) and the Miami Dolphins ( 2002 ) . After playing college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes , Carter was drafted by the Eagles in the fourth round of the 1987 NFL supplemental draft . While in Philadelphia , head coach Buddy Ryan helped to coin one of ESPNs Chris Bermans 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 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 on HBOs Inside the NFL , ESPNs 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 . In 2017 , Carter began co-hosting First Things First with Nick Wright on 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 . After six years , and five finalist selections , Carter was voted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on February 2 , 2013 . Early years . 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 . He attended Middletown High School 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 , stating that he would never be famous with the name Graduel . According to Carter on ESPN Radios 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 drivers 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 Buckeyes head coach Earle Bruce . Carter became a consensus All-America selection after his junior season , Ohio States 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 . 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 Carters 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 . 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 ) . 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 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 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 scoring receptions . In 1989 , he became the teams primary red zone receiver , leading the Eagles with 11 touchdown 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 , including large amounts of ecstasy , cocaine and marijuana , 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 , for only $100 . Stuck behind Hassan Jones and resident star receiver , Anthony Carter ( no relation ) , Carter didnt 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 contest at Philadelphia on October 15 . Carter finished the 1990 campaign with 27 receptions for 413 yards and 3 touchdowns . In 1991 , Carter stepped forward as Minnesotas 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 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 alternating at QB , Carter remained the teams 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 Washington Redskins upended them 24–7 in the Wild Card 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 touchdowns — 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 Wild Card 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 Detroits Herman Moore ) . Carter also led the team with 1256 yards and 7 receiving touchdowns , 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 couldnt 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 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 took over at QB for the Vikings . Carter didnt miss a beat , catching 96 passes for 1,163 yards and 10 touchdowns . The Vikings returned to the playoffs with a 9–7 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 Carters 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 NFLs 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 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 didnt 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 1241 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 to face the NFLs 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 Rices 860 , and was named to the NFLs 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 touchdowns , 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 . Carters production dipped to its lowest point since 1992 ( mostly because of QB Spergon Wynns ineffectiveness in the last three games ) — 73 catches , 871 yards , 6 touchdowns — 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 . 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 HBOs 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 , Carters 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 . He was named to the 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 became eligible for the first time , though Brown did not make it . Additionally , Andre Reed was another possible candidate that diminished Carters chance for enshrinement in 2010 . In 2011 , he also did not make it despite not having a single wide receiver in the class . NFL Networks NFLs Top 10 placed him atop the list of wide receivers with the best hands . 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 . NFL career statistics . ! || PHI ! || PHI ! || PHI ! || MIN ! || MIN ! || MIN ! || MIN ! || MIN ! || MIN ! || MIN ! || MIN ! || MIN ! || MIN ! || MIN ! || MIN ! || MIA ! || 234 || 209 || 1,515 || 1,101 || 13,899 || 12.6 || 59.4 || 130 Career notables . - One of three players to record more than 120 receptions in a season twice , 1994 and 1995 . ( Wes Welker , Antonio Brown ) - Most touchdown receptions on Thursday games ( 9 ) - Most more than 12 reception games in a single season ( 4 ) in 1995 - One of 3 players ( Clarke Gaines and Jerry Rice ) to record more than 12 receptions in back to back games - Most 1-yard touchdown receptions in NFL history ( 9 ) - tied with Jeremy Shockey - 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 and Doug Baldwin - Most consecutive seasons with more than 5 touchdown receptions ( 11 ) – Terrell Owens , Jerry Rice , Marvin Harrison , Don Hutson , and Tim Brown - Most consecutive seasons with more than 5 touchdowns ( 11 ) – Terrell Owens , Jerry Rice , Marvin Harrison , Don Hutson , Tim Brown , and Frank Gore - First player to record a 150-yard receiving game in 3 different decades ( Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens are the only other players to do so ) - Member of 2013 Hall of Fame Class After football . Carter was one of the hosts of HBOs 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 , where his son played wide receiver in 2008 . He is the owner of Cris Carters 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 and again at the 2009 NFL Rookie Symposium . 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 The Magazine story about Chris Borland . 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 years symposium . Carter apologized on Twitter , saying he realized it was bad advice , and everyone should take responsibility for their own actions . ESPN also released a statement saying Carters comments do not reflect the companys views . 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 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 . 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 . Professionally , he played for the Montreal Alouettes , a Canadian Football League ( CFL ) team , in 2013-2014 and 2016 , spending 2015 on the practice squad of the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL . In Montreal , Duron was described as being a terrible teammate among the players on the Alouettes team . In 2017 , he signed on with the Saskatchewan Roughriders , also in the CFL , where he served primarily as a receiver and occasionally played cornerback . Duron was released by the Roughriders in August 2018 , in the midst of the 2018 CFL season . He subsequently signed on with the Toronto Argonauts a few weeks later , and now currently plays for the B.C Lions . Cris is the younger brother of ex-NBA player and coach Butch Carter .