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United States Harry Carson transitioned from a dominant NFL linebacker to a respected motivational speaker and advocate for player health.
Harry Carson's 13-year stint with the New York Football Giants was one of the longest tenures in club history.
Carson is teaming up with the National Blood Clot Alliance to help raise awareness about blood clots by sharing his personal story with others.
The Heart of a Hall of Famer series connected by Extreme Networks provides students the opportunity to learn first-hand what it took beyond, in relation to football legend Harry Carson.
Harry Donald Carson was born in Florence, South Carolina, on November 26, 1953. He played defensive end during his college career at South Carolina State University, where he never missed a game across four seasons (1972-1975). Carson was a standout player, becoming the first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference player to achieve consecutive Defensive Player of the Year honors and leading the Bulldogs to two conference championships. In 1975, he was a first-team AFCA College-Division All-America selection, setting school records with 117 tackles and 17 sacks. With Carson as captain, the Bulldogs’ defense recorded six shutouts that year, allowing only 29 points over a ten-game season, an NCAA record. His college achievements led to his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2012.
Selected by the New York Giants in the fourth round of the 1976 NFL Draft as the 105th overall pick, Carson was moved to the linebacker position. He quickly secured the starting middle linebacker role midway through his rookie season and was named to the All-NFL Rookie Team. Carson dedicated his entire 13-season professional career to the Giants, leading the team in tackles for five seasons and serving as captain for ten. He was a crucial member of the “Crunch Bunch” linebacker corps, alongside Brad Van Pelt, Brian Kelley, and Lawrence Taylor, which was known as one of the NFL’s premier defensive units. Carson earned nine Pro Bowl selections, including seven consecutive appearances from 1982 to 1988, and was named first- or second-team All-Pro six times, and All-NFC six times.
A key milestone in Carson’s career was the 1986 season, where he finished second in total tackles for the Giants with 118 in the regular season and 23 in the playoffs. He notably recorded the ninth of his 11 career interceptions, two quarterback sacks, two fumble recoveries, and two forced fumbles, contributing significantly to the Giants’ victory in Super Bowl XXI against the Denver Broncos. During Super Bowl XXI, Carson made a critical play on the goal-line stand in the first half, stuffing Gerald Willhite for no gain. After retiring in 1988, Carson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006. He has since become involved in sports broadcasting and entrepreneurship through Harry Carson Inc., a sports consulting and promotions company. He is also a vocal advocate for player health, particularly regarding the long-term effects of concussions, and has authored two books, “Point of Attack” and “Captain for Life,” documenting his experiences with post-concussion syndrome.
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