Tony Carter (cornerback)
Encyclopedia
Tony Carter is an American football
cornerback
for the Minnesota Vikings
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the Denver Broncos
as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football
at Florida State
.
He has also played for the New England Patriots
.
in Jacksonville, Florida
, where he played football as a cornerback, quarterback
, and wide receiver
. As a senior, he had four interceptions, two blocked kicks, and five touchdowns and earned third-team all-state honors. He was rated the second best cornerback in the nation by Rivals.com
. Carter was a member of the East Squad in the 2004 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He also participated in track and field
, reaching the state finals in the 110-meter hurdles as a junior.
over Tennessee
and North Carolina
. After redshirt
ing in 2004, Carter started all 13 games at cornerback as a freshman in 2005. His 12 pass break-ups ranked first on the team, and added 41 tackles, including four for a loss, as well as one interception. He earned first-team Freshman All-American honors as well as being named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference
second team.
After missing the first two games of his 2006 sophomore season with a knee injury, Carter went on to start the final 11 games of the season. He ranked second on the team with two interceptions, both of which Carter returned for touchdowns. Carter also added a blocked field goal return for a touchdown and a blocked PAT return for two points. His 20 points scored ranked seventh on the team. He finished the season with 27 tackles and was named the Most Valuable Defensive Player of the team's Emerald Bowl
victory.
As a junior in 2007, Carter started all 13 games at cornerback, finishing with 45 tackles on the season, his career high. He also set a career mark with four interceptions, while tying the team lead with six pass break-ups and was First-Team All ACC. In 2008, as a senior, Carter again started all 13 games, ending his Florida State career with a 33-game starting streak. He finished the season with 25 tackles and two interceptions and earned first-team All-ACC honors.
, Carter signed with the Denver Broncos
on April 27, 2009. He was waived during final cuts on September 5, 2009, and re-signed to the team's practice squad the next day. He was promoted to the Broncos' active roster on December 19, 2009, and made his NFL debut in Week 15 against the Oakland Raiders
. In Week 16 against the Philadelphia Eagles
, Carter made his first career start. He finished the 2009 season with three tackles and one pass defensed. He spent the first three games of the 2010 preseason with the Broncos before being waived/injured on August 30, 2010 with a hamstring injury. He cleared waivers the next day, August 31, and was released with an injury settlement; he otherwise would have reverted to injured reserve
.
signed Carter to their practice squad on September 7, 2010. He was promoted to the 53-man roster on December 18, 2010, prior the Patriots' Week 15 game against the Green Bay Packers
. He was active for two of the final three games of the season, recording one tackle. On July 26, Carter was informed he would be released on July 28.
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
for the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was signed by the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Florida State
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
.
He has also played for the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
.
Early years
Carter attended Mandarin High SchoolMandarin High School
Mandarin High School is a public senior high school in Duval County Public Schools district located on Greenland Road in Jacksonville, Florida. In 2010, Newsweek ranked it 96th on its list of the best public high schools in the United States. In 2008, U.S...
in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, where he played football as a cornerback, quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, and wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
. As a senior, he had four interceptions, two blocked kicks, and five touchdowns and earned third-team all-state honors. He was rated the second best cornerback in the nation by Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
. Carter was a member of the East Squad in the 2004 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He also participated in track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, reaching the state finals in the 110-meter hurdles as a junior.
College career
Following high school, Carter chose to attend Florida State UniversityFlorida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
over Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
and North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels football
The North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collegiate level football. In Carolina’s first 121 seasons of football competition, the Tar Heels have compiled a record of 646–488–54, a winning percentage of .566...
. After redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
ing in 2004, Carter started all 13 games at cornerback as a freshman in 2005. His 12 pass break-ups ranked first on the team, and added 41 tackles, including four for a loss, as well as one interception. He earned first-team Freshman All-American honors as well as being named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
second team.
After missing the first two games of his 2006 sophomore season with a knee injury, Carter went on to start the final 11 games of the season. He ranked second on the team with two interceptions, both of which Carter returned for touchdowns. Carter also added a blocked field goal return for a touchdown and a blocked PAT return for two points. His 20 points scored ranked seventh on the team. He finished the season with 27 tackles and was named the Most Valuable Defensive Player of the team's Emerald Bowl
2006 Emerald Bowl
The 2006 Emerald Bowl, part of the 2006-07 NCAA football bowl games season, was played on December 27, 2006, at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California. It featured the UCLA Bruins, and the Florida State Seminoles.-Game summary:...
victory.
As a junior in 2007, Carter started all 13 games at cornerback, finishing with 45 tackles on the season, his career high. He also set a career mark with four interceptions, while tying the team lead with six pass break-ups and was First-Team All ACC. In 2008, as a senior, Carter again started all 13 games, ending his Florida State career with a 33-game starting streak. He finished the season with 25 tackles and two interceptions and earned first-team All-ACC honors.
Denver Broncos
After going undrafted in the 2009 NFL Draft2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
, Carter signed with the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on April 27, 2009. He was waived during final cuts on September 5, 2009, and re-signed to the team's practice squad the next day. He was promoted to the Broncos' active roster on December 19, 2009, and made his NFL debut in Week 15 against the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. In Week 16 against the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Carter made his first career start. He finished the 2009 season with three tackles and one pass defensed. He spent the first three games of the 2010 preseason with the Broncos before being waived/injured on August 30, 2010 with a hamstring injury. He cleared waivers the next day, August 31, and was released with an injury settlement; he otherwise would have reverted to injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
.
New England Patriots
The New England PatriotsNew England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
signed Carter to their practice squad on September 7, 2010. He was promoted to the 53-man roster on December 18, 2010, prior the Patriots' Week 15 game against the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
. He was active for two of the final three games of the season, recording one tackle. On July 26, Carter was informed he would be released on July 28.
Second stint with the Broncos
On November 29th, 2011, Carter once again signed with the Denver BroncosDenver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.