TYLER,TX (KLTV)
Former Cowboy Carter breaks silence over release from team
Posted: May26, 2009 7:09 PM EST
By Maya Golden -
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It has been five years since Quincy Carter left Cowboys training camp without a word to the media about his release.
After all this time, Carter is breaking his silence.
In an interview with
www.DFWReporting.com Carter claims the Cowboys lied about why they let him go. It was an interview shared with KLTV 7 Sports.
"Just to be honest and frank with you, it's five years later now and I can say what I want to say now," Carter said of his decision to talk about the incidents that led to his release.
After his break-up with the Cowboys, Carter never publicly lashed out against his former team. Now Carter wants to set the record straight about a failed drug test.
"They used it against me," Carter said. "They took that one drug test per say and used it against me."
The former Cowboys quarterback said he never got a fair chance to defend himself.
"Filed a grievance for me with the 'quote-unquote' NFLPA (National Football League Players Association), which I think is the biggest joke ever because they weren't able to find a simple tape for me of the press conference where Jerry Jones says he's not releasing me because of my play."
"They weren't able to find that," Carter said. "How they weren't able to find that, I don't know."
Carter went on to make allegations that Jones manipulated the NFL's ruling on his case.
"I think honestly (Jones) had the NFL lose those tapes," Carter explained.
That's how much power (he had). I know because of how close I was to him. Me and my homeboys joke, we call it the billionaire power play is what he did, it's what he pulled, a billionaire power play."
Carter was the Cowboys starting quarterback for three seasons, and his career had promise. He understands his drug use was his downfall, but still thinks he could have led Dallas to big success.
"I blame myself first because if I had never failed that test, we would never even be sitting here talking. Tony Romo wouldn't even be playing for the Cowboys right now. I can tell you that, I can say that with a straight face because if he was that good he would have beat me out ."
"I kind of sound cocky right now when I say it but if he was that good he would have beaten me out as a rookie."
Carter is now the starting quarterback for the Abilene Ruff Riders, a team in the Indoor Football League. His salary is $200 a game.
"I live my life through football. You can probably see that now because I'm playing for $200 a game where I could be out coaching somewhere or making a lot more money. But, I love football."
After leaving Dallas, Carter signed as a backup with the Jets in 2004 but suffered another drug relapse. He was arrested earlier this month on a probation violation warrant. It was his second arrest this year after he was picked up for marijuana possession and DWI.
Carter will not call himself an addict but knows he needs more help.
"I hate negative words," he said. "So I would have to say I have a major problem. I'm going to put it like that. It needs to be continuously worked on an everyday basis."
KLTV contact the Dallas Cowboys for a response. Rich Dalrymple with the Cowboys public relations said the team has no comment on Carter's allegations.
