Earlier today, I mused that I would be surprised if former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Cris Carter would have his name announced as part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2013.
Well, in the immortal words of Private Gomer Pyle. . .surpriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiise, surpriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiise, surpriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiise! And I couldn't be happier to be wrong.
Carter has, indeed, finally broken through on his sixth try, as the Class of 2013 was just announced on the NFL Network. Carter is joined by Curley Culp, Dave Robinson, Larry Allen, Jonathan Ogden, Bill Parcells, and Warren Sapp. Culp and Robinson were the selections of the Veterans Committee.
Carter's numbers, as they have for years, speak for themselves. His 1,101 career receptions are still fourth in National Football League history. He is ninth all time in receiving yards with 13,899, and his 130 receiving touchdowns is fourth-best in NFL history. When he retired from the game after the 2002 season, he had more receptions, yardage, and touchdowns than any wide receiver in NFL history not named Jerry Rice.
This is the fourth time in five years that a player that is primarily associated with the Vikings will be enshrined in Canton, as Carter joins Chris Doleman (2012), John Randle (2010), and Randall McDaniel (2009) in getting into football's biggest shrine.
We'll have more on Carter finally reaching pro football immortality in the next couple of days. But finally, one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history finally gets his due. Congratulations to Cris Carter on finally reaching the Pro Football Hall of Fame!