Tyrone Carter

Infobox NFLactive


currentteam=Pittsburgh Steelers
currentnumber=23
currentpositionplain=Safety
birthdate=birth date and age|1976|3|31
birthplace=Pompano Beach, Florida
heightft=5
heightin=9
weight=195
debutyear=2000
debutteam=Minnesota Vikings
highlights=
* Jim Thorpe Award (1999)
college=Minnesota
draftyear=2000
draftround=4
draftpick=118
pastteams=
* Minnesota Vikings (2000-2002)
* New York Jets (2003)
* Pittsburgh Steelers (2004-"present")
highlights=
* Super Bowl champion (XL)
nfl=CAR749177

Tyrone "Chowder" Carter (born March 31, 1976 in Pompano Beach, Florida) is an American football defensive back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He has also played for the Minnesota Vikings and the New York Jets.

High school

At Blanche Ely High School in Pompano Beach, Carter was named "Miami Sun-Sentinel" All-County defensive first-team choice as a senior and he also received "Miami Herald" All-County offensive first team honors as a running back, gaining 1,349 yards and scoring 23 touchdowns his senior year.

College

Carter attended the University of Minnesota. He won the 1999 Jim Thorpe Award for best defensive back in college football. He majored in sociology.

Professional career

Minnesota Vikings

Tyrone Carter was drafted in the 4th round (122nd overall) in the 2000 NFL Draft out of the University of Minnesota by the Minnesota Vikings. On June 30, 2000, he signed a 3-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings. He had 40 tackles that year. He played 3 seasons with the Vikings. He would later return to the team on March 11, 2004, when he agreed to terms with his former team the Minnesota Vikings. On September 5, 2004, Carter was placed on the Vikings injured reserve after spraining his knee during the second preseason game, and was expected to be out until October. On September 18, he was taken off the IR and released.

New York Jets

On April 14, 2003, Carter signed as an unrestricted free agent with the New York Jets, where he played for only one season and recorded career highs in tackles (88) and interceptions (2). On March 1, 2004, he was cut along with longtime Jet linebacker Mo Lewis and safety Sam Garnes in order to free up salary cap space.

Pittsburgh Steelers

On October 20, 2004, he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he played in 9 games, recording seven tackles. On February 23, 2005, he declared free agency, but on April 5, 2005, he re-signed as an unrestricted free agent to a 2-year contract. Carter is known as a vocal player and was named Pittsburgh's Starting safety alongside Troy Polamalu late in the 2007 season.

Tank Carter's Arrest

Tyrone's brother, Tank Carter, was arrested in February 2006. Tank Carter was scheduled to start serving a prison sentence in late January, but instead attended the Super Bowl XL with tickets his brother gave him. The original sentence was scheduled to be 6 months, after failing to show up, his sentence was extended to 5 years. It was reported that when interviewed about this incident that if he could make that decision again, he would have gone to the Super Bowl again.

External links

* [http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/187507 Tyrone Carter at NFL.com]
* [http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=CARTETYR01 More Current Stats]
* [http://www.freetankcarter.com A sports blog inspired by Tank Carter's arrest]
* [http://news.steelers.com/team/player/49253/ Steelers Player Bio]