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Vikings' Cris Carter Facing Backlash on Sunday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Trevor Squire | Last updated Jul 6, 2025 5:14 PM ET

The legitimacy of Minnesota Vikings Hall of Famer Cris Carter's greatness has come into question.

In response to Chad Johnson challenging Travis Hunter one-on-one, Carter argued that Johnson is looking back more glowingly on his career than what's actually on tape.

"There's nothing that pisses me off more than old guys who used to be able to do something and when they recall what they did they swear up and down that it was better than how they did it," Carter said on a June 9 episode of the "Fully Loaded podcast", adding that Johnson has no chance of making the Hall of Fame.

What did Chad Johnson do to Cris Carter?

Talked about this man like he was a scrub. Ocho is top 40 all time in catches and yards, and just outside top 50 in touchdowns.. more TDs than Julio Jones, Mike Irvin, Sterling Sharpe, and many others. More yards than 15 current HOF WRs.… pic.twitter.com/a6Zi3rwtBB
— Apex Jones (@ApexJones22) June 28, 2025

Former NFL All-Pro cornerback Asante Samuel came to the defense of Johnson, disparaging Carter as nothing more than a possession receiver and calling him one of the most overrated receivers of all time.

"I think Cris Carter was great during his time, he was a [heck] of a route runner and he had some of the best hands in football... but he is really beside himself coming for Chad Johnson," Samuel said on his podcast. "He was nothing more than a possession receiver... a receiver that catches the ball and is immediately tackled... Cris Carter is one of the most overrated [wide receivers] to ever come in the NFL, or into the Hall of Fame."

Asante Samuel calls out Cris Carter, labeling him one of the most overrated wide receivers in NFL history. pic.twitter.com/Uk8blElhL9
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) July 5, 2025

"As a cornerback, what do I have to worry about, covering a guy like Cris Carter? He's going to run a nice, crispy route and get tackled immediately," Samuel added. "I am not worried about him running past me. So what fear does he put in any cornerback or defense?"

The argument has led many fans to take sides on social media, which has boiled down to Johnson's athleticism and explosiveness versus Carter's consistency and sure-handedness.

Carter has the career stat totals -- 13,899 receiving yards and 130 touchdowns -- while Johnson surpassed 1,400 receiving yards twice in his career, a feat Carter never achieved -- putting the debate purely in the eye of the beholder.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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