Cris Carter enters 'football heaven'

CANTON, Ohio - Forcefully and emotionally, Cris Carter summed up the 50th induction ceremony for the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday night.

The seventh and final inductee from the Class of 2013, Carter honored dozens of people in his life who were "going into the Hall of Fame with me tonight," as he followed Jonathan Ogden, Dave Robinson, Larry Allen, Bill Parcells, Curley Culp and Warren Sapp in being inducted.

More than 120 Hall members, a record, were on hand at Fawcett Stadium for the golden anniversary celebration of the shrine.

"I appreciate the process you have to go through to get to be a Hall of Famer," Carter said. "To be able to join these men on this stage in football heaven is the greatest day of my life."

Carter needed six tries to make the Hall even though he retired as the No. 2 career receiver behind Jerry Rice. He choked back tears as he made his speech after being presented by his son, Duron, and he spoke of his problems with alcohol while playing 3 years for the Eagles before being released.

"What [Eagles coach] Buddy Ryan did was the best thing that ever happened for me when he cut me and told me I couldn't play for his football team," Carter said. "But he told me a story. He told me the night before he went on and talked to his wife, and he asked his wife what he should do. And his wife told him, don't cut Cris Carter. He's going to do something special with his life. So Buddy Ryan, and your lovely wife, I thank you. You're going into the hall with me tonight."

Carter also thanked former Eagle Reggie White for his guidance.

He hooked on immediately with the Vikings and finished his 16-season career with 1,101 catches for 13,899 yards and 130 touchdowns.

Parcells also seemingly spoke for everyone in the Hall of Fame. "There's a kinship created that lasts for the rest of your life," he said about his experience as one of the NFL's most successful coaches.

Parcells is the only coach to take four teams to the playoffs, winning Super Bowls with the New York Giants in the 1986 and 1990 seasons.

"Every organization I worked for supported me to the fullest," Parcells said. "Without that, you've got no shot."

Robinson, from Moorestown, N.J. and a Penn State product, became the 12th inductee from the vintage Green Bay Packers coached by Vince Lombardi to be enshrined. Robinson was a prototype outside linebacker who could rush the quarterback, cover tight ends or running backs on pass plays, and stop the run. He made the NFL's all-decade team of the 1960s and won three NFL titles, including the first two Super Bowls.

"This is the biggest day of the 21st century for the Robinson family," he said, adding that he "lives 25 miles from here but it took me 38 years to get here.

"Now, I am immortalized."