Carter to Return to Vikings

Cris Carter will return for at least one more season at wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings.

Carter, No. 2 in NFL history behind Jerry Rice in both receptions and touchdown catches, said Thursday he “had a lot of things pulling me away from football, but I’m going to continue to play.”

Carter, 35, said he made his decision in November, but he has not discussed it publicly since Minnesota’s 41-0 loss to the New York Giants in the NFC championship game Jan. 14.

“I never saw myself playing this long, but I realize I have a gift, and you’ll be able to see that gift for at least one more year,” he said.

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Kansas City Chief backup quarterback Warren Moon announced his retirement after 23 professional seasons, including 17 in the NFL.

Moon, 44, had said in June he would retire after the 2000 season. He concludes his career third in NFL history with 49,325 passing yards, trailing only former Miami Dolphin Dan Marino, with 61,361 yards, and Denver Bronco John Elway, with 51,475.

Moon, who also played for the Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks, began his career in the Canadian Football League. He played six seasons with the Edmonton Eskimos, leading the team to a CFL-record five consecutive Grey Cup championships from 1978-82.

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Marshall Faulk is considering further right knee surgery, an operation that would keep the league MVP off the field until the start of training camp.

Faulk said he will make a decision on the surgery next month.

In November, Faulk had arthroscopic surgery on the knee to remove four pieces of loose cartilage. Faulk returned after missing just two games.

“I don’t second-guess any decision of mine,” Faulk told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about his quick return to play. “The reason I do things has nothing to do with anything except for my desire to play. That supersedes everything.”

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NFL players have spoken, and the artificial turf at Philadelphia’s Veteran’s Stadium again ranks as the worst in the league, a survey released by the NFL Players Assn. said.

Veteran’s Stadium also topped the “worst” list two years ago when the NFLPA released results of a similar survey at the Super Bowl in Miami.

The grass field at Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and site of Sunday’s Super Bowl, was rated the best surface in the survey of 1,280 active players responding to questionnaires.

In other news, the Players Assn. announced the league’s salary cap will go up about $5 million per team next season, from $62 million to around $67 million, although the figure is subject to adjustment.

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Romeo Crennel, coming off his first season as Cleveland’s defensive coordinator, became the third candidate to interview with team president Carmen Policy for the head coaching position.

The other two who already have interviewed are Tennessee defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and New Orleans offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy.

The team also plans to interview Baltimore Raven defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis and New York Giant defensive coordinator John Fox after the Super Bowl.

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Michael Vick, who could be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, has fired his agent and has yet to announce a replacement for his Richmond-based representative.

Dave Lowman, senior vice president for Joel Enterprises, said the former Virginia Tech star sent a letter to the company which said, “we have been terminated.”

The letter, dated Jan. 18, did not give a reason for firing the agent.

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Tampa Bay running back Warrick Dunn was added to the NFC Pro Bowl team as a replacement for injured Minnesota running back Robert Smith. . . . Offensive tackle John Jackson agreed to a one-year contract extension with the Cincinnati Bengals with a club option for 2002. . . . Former Chicago Bear and New Orleans Saint coach Mike Ditka has become a part owner of the Chicago Rush of the Arena Football League.