Maurice Carthon facts for kids

Maurice Carthon, born on April 24, 1961, is a former American football player and coach. He played as a fullback in two major leagues. These were the United States Football League (USFL) and the National Football League (NFL). His playing career lasted for 11 seasons. After playing, he became a coach. He even worked as an offensive coordinator for three different NFL teams.

Early Life and High School Sports

Maurice Carthon grew up in Osceola, Arkansas. He went to Osceola High School. There, he was a talented athlete in both football and basketball.

Football Achievements in High School

In football, Carthon played as a tight end. He was chosen for the All-Conference team twice. This means he was one of the best players in his league.

Basketball Achievements in High School

Carthon was also a star in basketball. In his final year of high school, he was named the state's Most Valuable Player.

College Football Career

After high school, Maurice Carthon received a football scholarship. He went to Arkansas State University. There, he played college football for the Arkansas State Red Wolves.

Playing for Arkansas State

His coach at Arkansas State was Larry Lacewell. Carthon was a two-time All-Southland Conference selection. This means he was recognized as one of the top players in the Southland Conference. In his senior year, he was the team captain. He also led his team in rushing yards with 682 yards.

College Career Statistics

By the end of his college career, Carthon had carried the ball 362 times. He gained a total of 1,583 yards. He also caught 26 passes and scored seven touchdowns. He was a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.

Honors and Awards

Maurice Carthon has received several honors for his college career.

• In 1991, he was inducted into the Arkansas State Hall of Honor.
• In 2002, he was inducted into the Arkansas State Ring of Honor.
• He was named to the Southland Conference 1980s All-Decade team.
• In 2005, he was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.

Professional Football Career

Maurice Carthon played professional football for 11 seasons. He started in the USFL and then moved to the NFL.

Playing for the New Jersey Generals (USFL)

Carthon was drafted by the New Jersey Generals in 1983. He was the 94th player picked overall.

Rookie Season (1983)

As a rookie, he carried the ball 90 times. He gained 334 yards and scored three touchdowns.

Standout Season (1984)

In 1984, Carthon started all 18 games for the Generals. He rushed for 1,042 yards and scored 11 touchdowns. His teammate, Herschel Walker, also had a great year. Walker led the league with 1,339 rushing yards. This was a rare achievement. It was only the third time in professional football history that two teammates each rushed for over 1,000 yards in the same season.

Final USFL Season (1985)

Carthon played one more season with the Generals in 1985. He carried the ball 175 times for 726 yards. He also scored 6 touchdowns.

Playing for the New York Giants (NFL)

In 1985, Carthon signed with the New York Giants as a free agent. He had a very busy year. From February to June, he played three preseason games, 18 regular season games, and one playoff game in the USFL. Then, he joined the Giants in July. He played five more preseason games, 16 regular season games, and two playoff games. This meant he played 45 games in less than a year!

Role and Durability

With the Giants, Carthon wore the number 44. He was known as a strong fullback with excellent blocking skills. He was also a very tough player. He missed only one game out of 76 during his time with the Giants.

Super Bowl Wins

Carthon helped the Giants win two Super Bowl championships. They won Super Bowl XXI and Super Bowl XXV. His best season was in 1986. He was the team's second-leading rusher with 260 yards. He also helped his teammate, Joe Morris, rush for a franchise record of 1,516 yards that season.

Retirement from Playing

Maurice Carthon retired after the 1992 season. He finished his playing career with 950 rushing yards. He also had 90 receptions for 745 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Coaching Career

After his playing days, Maurice Carthon became a football coach. He worked for several NFL teams.

Offensive Coordinator Roles

Carthon served as an offensive coordinator for three NFL teams.

• He was the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions from 2001 to 2002.
• He then coached the offense for the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2004.
• From 2005 to 2006, he was the offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns. He resigned from this role on October 24, 2006.

Working with Bill Parcells

Carthon was known as a "Parcells Guy." This means he often followed his former coach, Bill Parcells, to different teams. He coached under Parcells for the New England Patriots, the New York Jets, and the Dallas Cowboys.

Assistant Head Coach Role

On February 19, 2009, the Kansas City Chiefs announced that Carthon was joining their coaching staff. He served as the assistant head coach under Todd Haley. When Haley was fired in December 2011, Carthon stayed in the same role under Romeo Crennel. He left the Chiefs after the 2012 season. The Chiefs had a record of 2 wins and 14 losses that year. He has not returned to coaching since then.

Personal Life

Maurice Carthon has a son named Ran Carthon. Ran also played football as a running back for the Indianapolis Colts. More recently, Ran Carthon became the general manager for the Tennessee Titans.