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QB Carter Optimistic About Return
Agent Warns Black Athletes To Protect Careers

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Quincy Carter is enthused about his new opportunity to play in the National Football League, according to Eugene Parker, Carter’s agent.
“He is upbeat and ready, Parker said. We are moving forward and focused on the future.”
The New York Jets announced the signing of the four-year veteran just three weeks after the Dallas Cowboys released him in a surprise move. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.
With the Jets, Carter will be the back up to current starting quarterback Chad Pennington. However, the situation surrounding his sudden release from the Cowboys still casts a dark shadow of distrust over how some of the league’s owners and coaches use talented professional African-American athletes and take skills for granted.

“Quincy is a winner, a proven starter and player with solid credentials, having led the Cowboys to a winning record and a playoff appearance last season,” Parker said. The message for African-American athletes here is not to put their eggs into one basket and do what it takes and what is necessary to always protect your talents, interests and career.
Last season, Carter started all 31 games for the Cowboys and led his team to a 10-6 record and a playoff appearance against the defending NFC Champion Carolina Panthers.
Carter was a second-round draft choice by the Cowboys in 2001. So far in his young career, he has 507 completions in 902 attempts for 5,839 yards with 29 touchdowns and 36 interceptions and has also rushed for 498 yards. Earlier this month, Carter was released by the Cowboys and replaced by 40-year old former New York Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde, who is white. The Cowboys also acquired young quarterback Drew Henson in an off-season trade with the Houston Texans. Henson, who is also white, is now the No. 2 quarterback with the team.
The Cowboys contended his release was not personal, but a business decision related to the future direction that the team is headed under Coach Bill Parcells and owner Jerry Jones.
Reports also indicated that the Cowboys wanted Carter to pay back hundreds of thousands in bonuses paid to him while on the team.

While careful not to accuse the Cowboys of blatant racism, Parker warned that any Black professional athlete could be subject at anytime to a similar situation facing Carter.
“In this competitive business, you are only as good as your track record,” Parker said. “African-American athletes must be realistic, never put themselves in a position to be (too) beholden to one team and always enhance their skills enough to make themselves valuable to any team.
Both Jones and Parcells have refused to make specific comments about their decision to release Carter, but widespread unconfirmed reports indicated that the decision might have been linked to a failed drug test.
However, NFL union representatives have stepped in not only wanting answers about his release but also raising concerns about events leading up to the cut after indicating that Carter was the front-runner for the starting position

Last week, the NFL Player’s Association filed a grievance against the Dallas Cowboys contending Carter’s release by the team might be for reasons not permitted under the NFL collective bargaining agreement.
“We can’t comment on the legal aspects of Quincy’s case and don’t know what will happen next,” he said. “Our goal is to work to always protect his sports and legal interests and help him pursue his passion and dream to play in the National Football League.”
Parker was quick to dismiss media reports out of Cowboys training camp speculating on Carter’s alleged drug use.

He described the assumptions and speculations about drug use in the media as unfounded and hoped that neither the African Americans community nor football fans would judge Carter based on rumors and accusations.
“Quincy is a role model and a good person,” he said. “People go through many situations in life and no matter what happens, the best we can do is to own up to the issues and challenges we face each day and push forward with a positive attitude.