August 7, 2007
Panthers.com
Safety Mike Minter, the Carolina Panthers career leader in tackles and games started, announced his retirement Tuesday. He finishes his 10-year NFL career, all with the Panthers, with 953 tackles, 457 more than Mike Rucker who is second with 496, and a team record 141 games started.
Minter also ranks first in team history with four interception returns for touchdowns, 421 interception return yards and nine fumble recoveries and is tied for first with Julius Peppers with 16 forced fumbles. He stands second all time with 17 interceptions, 61 special teams tackles and 148 games played behind John Kasay with 157.
Coming to Carolina as a second-round draft choice from Nebraska in 1997, Minter has been a mainstay on and off the field for the Panthers. His 141 career starts are 28 more than Muhsin Muhammad, while his 94 consecutive starts are the most in team history.
"I've thought about it long and hard. It's been a great 10 years in the NFL," Minter said. "I could not have spent it at a better place than Carolina with an owner like Jerry Richardson. I don't want to be at 80 or 85 percent but want to be remembered as a player who always played at 100 percent."
"You don't just put somebody in that safety spot and replace Mike Minter," said Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox. "He meant so much to our football team in so many ways and will be missed on the field and in the locker room. However, we respect his decision and are confident that he will find the same success in his business career that he did in football."
"Mike epitomizes everything we look for in a football player," said Carolina Panthers General Manager Marty Hurney. "He is a great competitor with high character and takes responsibility. Obviously, we are going to miss him greatly, because he has set such a high standard during his career."
Minter was elected a defensive captain five consecutive seasons from 2002 to 2006 by his teammates. In four of those five years, the Panthers finished in the top 10 in the League defensively with Minter being the constant. He compiled more than 100 tackles in four consecutive campaigns from 2000 through 2003 and led Carolina in tackles in 2000, 2001 and 2003. Minter's 142 stops in 2000 marked the third-highest single-season total in team annals.
Seven times during his last eight seasons, Minter started all 16 games and made starts in all seven of the Panthers playoffs contests following the 2003 and 2005 seasons. In Super Bowl XXXVIII against New England, he matched his personal best of 18 tackles despite playing the second half with a broken bone in his foot.
However, statistics tell only part of the story of Minter's career. Maybe no play epitomized his spirit more than a length-of-the-field chase at Detroit in 2005 to knock the Lions Marcus Pollard out of bounds at the five yard line after an 86-yard gain. The Lions had to settle for a field goal and a 20-14 lead with two-minutes remaining in the game, enabling the Panthers to drive for the game-winning touchdown on their final possession.
In the community, Minter was as active as he was on the field, being named the team's 2005 Walter Payton Man of the Year for his civic efforts. He currently serves as a board member for the Greater Charlotte YMCA and on the advisory board for the Kidney Foundation.