Vikings' Carter retires, joins HBO

MINNEAPOLIS - Cris Carter felt he had some football left in him. The NFL apparently didn&#39;t - at least at the price he wanted. <br> <br> So the 36-year-old receiver retired Tuesday, ending a decorated and tumultuous career in which he caught more than 1,000 passes and scored 129 touchdowns in 15 seasons. He trails only Jerry Rice in catches and receiving touchdowns. <br> <br> He leaves without a Super Bowl ring after failing to hook up with another team following his split with the Minnesota Vikings. He will join HBO&#39;s ``Inside the NFL&#39;&#39; show as a co-host. <br> <br> ``I wanted to play football, but I had to be in the right situation, and I did not want the opportunity with HBO to pass me by,&#39;&#39; Carter said. <br> <br> Carter voided his Vikings contract before the start of this year&#39;s free agency period because he wanted to sign with a team closer to winning a Super Bowl. <br> <br> But he blew his best chance when he tried to postpone a meeting with the St. Louis Rams while he was in Cleveland talking to the Browns. The Cleveland deal fell through, the Rams refused to reschedule and the Miami Dolphins passed. <br> <br> Carter said the Dolphins couldn&#39;t pay him what he wanted. He also said he regretted making the trip to Cleveland that ultimately cost him a shot at playing for the Rams. <br> <br> ``I think that I maximized my ability, I did all that I could do. ... I left everything I had in football. Could I have played longer? Of course I could.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Carter will join Bob Costas, Dan Marino and Cris Collinsworth in the studio show. <br> <br> After playing at Ohio State, Carter spent his first three seasons in Philadelphia, where he admitted to abusing drugs and alcohol. <br> <br> The Vikings claimed him off waivers in 1990, and Carter was a standout in Minnesota for more than a decade. He ranks third behind Rice and James Lofton in receiving yards (13,833). <br> <br> Before last season, in which offensive lineman Korey Stringer died and the Vikings went 5-11, Carter played in eight consecutive Pro Bowls. <br> <br> In 1994, he set a league record for receptions in a season with 122. On Nov. 30, 2000, against the Detroit Lions, Carter caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Daunte Culpepper to join Rice as the only players to catch 1,000 passes for a career. <br> <br> ``When I went to Minnesota, I was a young kid. When I left, I was a full-grown man,&#39;&#39; Carter said. ``I gained my sobriety there. There are so many things about Minnesota I will never forget. I will always be indebted to the people of Minnesota.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> But last season, Carter became known as much for his antics on the sidelines as he was for his one-handed grabs in the end zone. During several games last year, cameras caught him arguing with players and coaches. He apologized after a sideline tirade against the Chicago Bears in Week 2 and tangled with players and former head coach Dennis Green throughout the season. <br> <br> Carter said last season&#39;s troubles were not a factor in his decision to retire. He also thinks he enjoyed a a successful career, even though he did not win a championship. <br> <br> ``Look at Andre Rison, who won a championship with Green Bay,&#39;&#39; he said. ``Are you saying his career is more successful than mine? Look at Alvin Harper, who won a couple of Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys. Are you saying his career is as successful as mine? I wouldn&#39;t say that.&#39;&#39;

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