Tag: cris carter

Former Ohio State star Cris Carter leading charge to feed those affected by coronavirus

Former Ohio State wide receiver and NFL Hall of Famer Cris Carter is helping lead the charge on feeding those in need because of COVID-19.

Former Ohio State receiver and NFL Hall of Famer Cris Carter had a stellar career on the football field. But that doesn’t mean he forgets where he came from.

In fact, growing up in Dayton, Ohio, Carter was one of six children in a single-parent household. That often meant with scant resources, that the family often had to battle going hungry. And while his abilities on the football field got him out of a poverty situation, others aren’t so fortunate.

Because of that, Carter is giving back and spearheading an effort by other NFL Hall of Famer’s with Project Isaiah, a charitable organization established during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide free, boxed meals to those in need.

“This pandemic is a wicked event,” Carter told USA TODAY Sports last week. “We just can’t go through it and act as if we don’t care. Everyone can have some type of impact.”

In a creative and inspiring move, investment banker Michael Klein launched the project in April and got the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Gate Gourmet, one of the largest airline food providers involved. The meals are packaged at airport kitchens and distributed by over 200 community service organizations.

David Baker, the executive director of the Pro Football Hall of Fame immediately agreed to get involved to be a partner, and that’s where Carter got involved and helped move the cause along.

“It touches me personally because I don’t know what my family would have done 30, 40 years ago if there had been a pandemic,” said Carter.

“If I was a young kid sitting around all day and my mom couldn’t go to work and we couldn’t go to school, it would have been tough. I was going to school for at least two of my meals.”

It’s a great cause, and it’s another example of someone tied to Buckeye Nation giving back during this unprecedented time. If you’d like to donate, you can do so at Isaiah.org.

Cris Carter talks Chargers WR K.J. Hill’s success in college, forecasts NFL career

Hall of Famer Cris Carter talks about how K.J. Hill’s consistency at Ohio State will translate to the next level, along with more.

Chargers rookie wide receiver K.J. Hill is known for one major accomplishment at Ohio State.

Hill left as the Buckeye’s reception leader with 201 catches, surpassing the the likes of Michael Jenkins, Boston Scott and Hall of Famer Cris Carter.

Hill wouldn’t have made the record books if it wasn’t for the advice of Carter. Carter persuaded Hill to stay in college for his senior season rather than making the leap to the NFL.

“I think sometimes when you’re in pursuit of an NFL career, you lose sight of what you went to college for. I also believe that there are skills that he could show in his senior year that would give him potential to have a longer career,” Carter said.

Hill could’ve joined his former teammates Parris Campbell (Colts) and Terry McLaurin (Redskins) in being drafted last year, but the advice of Carter’s paid off in 2019 for Hill.

“It’s always a lot of pressure to put up good numbers because guys want to be drafted high and earn senior awards. And when you’re on a team that’s in the top-5 for the most part, you have to sacrifice. He never got selfish and chase stats compared to being a leader, being consistent, continuing to develop as a football player, and he ended up having a heck of a season.”

Carter highlighted his strengths that helped him become the all-time receiving leader for the Buckeyes which include great hands, route-running ability, and understanding leverage. He also mentioned that the majority of the guys that he surpassed to get the record went on to have great careers at the next level, and he expects the same for Hill.

Going into the draft, Hill was projected as a mid-round pick by many draft analysts but instead, he saw himself slip to Day 3 in a surprising manner. The Chargers weren’t anticipating selecting a wide receiver in the seventh-round having already taken a wideout two rounds before that (Joe Reed). But a player like Hill was too hard to pass up on.

Considered being overlooked on draft day, Hill now has the opportunity to make the other 31 teams that passed on him regret their decisions because not only is Los Angeles getting a good player, but a good person, as well.

“He’s really developed since he’s come to Ohio State, on and off the field. He’s been very, very consistent. He played on the outside and inside. He’s also played on special teams, and I believe he can win a job in the NFL because of his overall versatility,” Carter said.

“And having guys around him that were recruited over him, because that’s what he’s got there with the Chargers. If he’s going to be a slot receiver, he will have Keenan Allen there, which allows him to learn from one of the absolute bests.”

Being able to learn from Ohio State’s wide receiver coach Brian Hartline to Allen now should pay huge dividends. With the traits, skillset and mentorship he’s receiving, Hill will look to leave his mark with the Chargers, just like how he did with the Buckeyes.

Vikings WR Justin Jefferson said he received tips from Cris Carter at NFL Combine

Vikings Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter gave newly drafted LSU wideout Justin Jefferson tips all the way back at the NFL Combine, Jefferson said.

Justin Jefferson wasn’t a Vikings wide receiver until Thursday, but at the NFL Combine, he still received some tutelage from a former Vikings wideout.

Cris Carter, a former Vikings wideout who was inducted into the Hall of Fame, kept tabs on Jefferson throughout the draft process, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press.

“He was giving me tips (at the combine) on how to be a better receiver, how to be a long-term better receiver,” Jefferson told the Pioneer Press and other outlets.“Having him in my ear, just giving me his knowledge and the information that he has definitely means a lot. He’s a hall of fame receiver. … He said I was the best receiver in the draft, so we definitely have a connection.”

Jefferson said he heard about Carter calling him the best receiver in the draft on television, and that it made him feel good about himself, giving him more confidence.

“He was one of my mentors, with one of our groups, so (it helped) having him around every step of the way during the combine,” Jefferson told the Pioneer Press and other reporters.

Buckeye Battle Cry series: Best Ohio State football player to wear jersey No. 2

We’re going through a series to identify the best football player to ever wear a specific jersey number at Ohio State. Next up is No. 2.

We’ve been going through a series of debating what Ohio State football player is the best to wear specific jersey numbers. We started with jersey No. 1, and now we’re going straight to No. 2.

We know you’re bored of looking at every square inch of your home. My latest vacation consisted of climbing the stairs to the second story of my house and taking a tour of the guest bedroom. One of these days, I’ll save up enough to cross the attic off the bucket list.

We’re all getting a little stir crazy from being cooped up due to the measures put in place to help mitigate the spread of the coronavirus and there are only so many classic games I can dial-up and watch.

In the long, illustrious history of Ohio State football, there is sure to be some disagreement, but that only makes it more fun. We might just sling some mud at each other, but it’s all being done virtually like everything else.

We will continue to go as high as makes sense, or until we win an all-expenses-paid trip to the grocery store to get toilet paper.

We’ll keep the same order and let Mark kick things off with his vote for the best Ohio State football player to ever wear No. 2.

Next … kick if off Mark

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4

Cris Carter has 2 favorites for Vikings in the draft

Carter notes that there are receivers with different skills in this draft and that the Vikings should be focused on a receiver with speed.

After trading Stefon Diggs to the Bills, the Vikings are in desperate need as they head into next week’s draft.

Luckily, the 2020 NFL Draft looks to be stacked with receivers.

“I believe that there are at least 25 receivers that can be drafted in the first four rounds, so we’re gonna see some superstars come off the board in Day 2,” Former Vikings receiver Cris Carter said via Vikings.com.

Carter notes that there are receivers with different skills in this draft and that the Vikings should be focused on a receiver with speed.

“The Vikings, we need speed,” Carter said. “We don’t have a deep threat at wide receiver and we know we like to run the ball . . . We need someone who can take off the defense.”

Two specific players Carter mentions are LSU’s Justin Jefferson and Clemson’s Tee Higgins.

If Jefferson falls to 22 or 25, that would be a dream scenario for the Vikings. He ran a surprising 4.43 at the combine and could be a player who starts immediately. As for Higgins, he’s a player that could go late in the first round, or could potentially fall into the second round depending on when the wide receiver surge is.

The good news is for the Vikings is that there are plenty of options at receiver, it will just be about picking the right fit for what the Vikings want to do.

Everson Griffen’s departure hits a little different for Vikings fans

Perhaps no Vikings player of this era has grown more or been more endearing to fans than Everson Griffen.

It was always going to be a weird offseason for the Minnesota Vikings. You could see it coming way back in January as the Vikings walked off the field in Santa Barbara after the San Francisco 49ers eliminated them from the playoffs. If you looked hard enough, you could see it coming two summers ago as GM Rick Spielman made a series of moves to keep the Vikings’ core intact. Not even the savviest GMing or team-friendly deals can protect any team from the truth. The cap comes for everyone and it’s impossible to keep everybody. 

In the span of a few days, Minnesota has bid farewell to a number of players who have been franchise icons over the past decade. Despite maintaining a still very talented roster, and expectations to compete for a third NFC North crown under Mike Zimmer, it’s difficult to witness the departure of a stable of players who helped the Vikings win a lot of games on the field, and who grew so much as individuals off of it. 

Perhaps no Vikings player of this era has grown more or been more endearing to fans than Everson Griffen, who announced the end to his 10-year run in purple and gold in an Instagram post on Friday afternoon.   

Prior to Griffen’s announcement, Xavier Rhodes and Linval Joseph had their contracts terminated and set the mass exodus in motion. Before the dust had settled on the departure of those two defensive stalwarts, the fireworks surrounding the Stefon Diggs trade lit up the sky from Minneapolis to Buffalo. Trae Waynes left for Cincinnati and a small fortune the Vikings had no chance of matching (and shouldn’t have even if they could). Between those four starters, that’s 336 games worth of plays, wins, and memories on their way out of Minnesota. 

Rhodes came to Minnesota as a first-round pick in 2013. Fans saw him evolve from a talented, but erratic, young player and turn into one of the best cornerbacks in football for multiple seasons. Joseph came in with pedigree, a Super Bowl ring and quickly became a run-stuffing fan favorite affectionately known as “Linval Hungry.” 

Waynes’s first career interception came against Aaron Rodgers and sealed an iconic victory against the Packers in the first game ever at U.S. Bank Stadium. Diggs grew into one of the best route runners in the league, made up one half of the most lethal receiving duo this franchise has had since Cris Carter and Randy Moss, and played a major role in one of the greatest plays in the history of the game. 

Yes, the moves all make sense, financially and logically, but Vikings fans shouldn’t take the careers these players have had with the club for granted. Especially not Everson Griffen’s. 

Griffen was drafted by Rick Spielman with the 100th overall pick of the 2010 NFL Draft. Of all the players on the 2019 Vikings, Marcus Sherels was Griffen’s only remaining teammate from his rookie season. He was always seen as an unbelievable athlete, but words like “underachiever” and “inconsistent motor” poisoned his draft stock and he fell to the third day. 

The Vikings brought him along slowly. He started off as mostly a spot pass rusher, played a lot of special teams, and made one start at defensive end. Even in limited action, his freakish athleticism was on full display. He registered 17.5 sacks over three seasons in his “off the bench” role as a pass rusher, and provided one of the most athletic pick-sixes I’ve ever seen by a defensive lineman against the Rams and future Viking teammate Sam Bradford in 2012. 

Griffen’s career took off with the arrival of Zimmer in 2014. He hit the double-digit sack milestone in his first season playing under his new coach. The next season, he played an essential role in the Vikings claiming their first division title since 2009 and was named to his first of four Pro Bowls. 

It’s difficult to cement a lasting legacy as a defensive lineman for the Minnesota Vikings. Historically, it’s been the franchise’s strongest position group. There are six names ahead of Griffen on the franchise’s all-time sacks list: Carl Eller, Jim Marshall, John Randle, Alan Page, Chris Doleman, and Jared Allen. All of those names but Marshall and Allen are in the Hall of Fame (Allen is entering his first year of eligibility and has a shot, and I’m already on record of how I feel about the hall snubbing Jim Marshall for all these years).

Yet Griffen should be remembered as an all-time Vikings defensive lineman for more than just his talent. He threw himself into every play of every game with an energetic abandon. If a pile of explosives could come together and manifest as one player it would look an awful lot like No. 97. 

It’s almost as if he wasn’t a real person, but was put together in a video game’s Create-a-Player portal with cheat codes unlocked: Pass rush-99, Energy-99, add in Bad Boy Pistons era Dennis Rodman antics, plus Gary Payton trash talking, times Josh Donaldson’s fire, top it off with John Randle style eye black and you get one of the team’s best players of the 2010s. 

Despite his on-field prowess, Griffen was always deeply human. His flaws were never hidden. He was called offsides a lot. Anything that ever happened off the field he was open and honest about and never made excuses. He was unapologetically himself at all times. Whether performing his signature ‘Sack Daddy’ celebration after taking down a quarterback, speaking to the media after games, or out in the community, his bright and vibrant spirit was as undeniable as his devastating spin move. 

Most importantly and most courageously, he spoke up about his struggle with his own mental health issues. He not only asked for help, he pursued it and set an example for his fellow players by taking time away from the game to do so.  

He came to Minnesota a 22-year-old kid with more questions surrounding his character than the number of players drafted before him in 2010. He leaves as a 32-year-old man, a husband, a father, an advocate, an all-time Vikings character with an all-time amount of character. 

Decade-long careers in the NFL are rare. A full decade with one team is almost impossible. He should be someone revered by Vikings fans for ages, partly for the player he was, and totally for the man he became.