[3][4][5][6] Carter played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and was selected 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 ESPN's Chris Berman's famous quotes about Carter: "All he does is catch touchdowns."

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.

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.

A fourth round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1987 supplemental draft,[15] Carter saw limited action during his rookie season catching just 5 passes for 84 yards and 2 touchdowns.

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.

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.

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.

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 season ended in disappointment, however, as the defending Super Bowl champions Washington Redskins upended them 24–7 in the Wild Card round.

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.

Moon and Carter carried the 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 Chicago Bears.

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.

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.

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 Vikings easily defeated the Dallas Cowboys 27–10 in the Wild Card round and headed to St. Louis to face the NFL's new hottest offense.

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.

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.

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.

[23] 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.

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 Carter's FAST Program, a sports training center in South Florida and is an ordained minister.

[33] 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 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.