Cris Carter believes there is no place in the home for corporal punishment and no place for abusers on an NFL field.
In an emotional, personal monologue delivered on ESPN's "Sunday NFL Countdown," the Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver took a stand against child abuse in response to Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson being indicted in a child injury case.
"This goes across all racial lines, ethnicities, religious backgrounds. People in disciplining their children. People with any sort of Christian background, they really believe in disciplining their children," Carter began. "My mom did the best job she could do raising seven kids by herself. But there are thousands of things that I have learned since then that my mom was wrong. This is the 21st century. My mom was wrong. She did the best she could, but she was wrong about some of that stuff she taught me. And I promised my kids that I won't teach that mess to them. You can't beat a kid to make him do what you want to do."
Carter then praised the Vikings, a team he spent 12 seasons with during his 16-year career, for deactivating Peterson after his indictment. He also made it quite clear he believes that there is only one way that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell can punish players if he wants to get their attention.
"The only thing I'm proud about is the team I played for, they did the right thing. Take them off the field," he said. "We're in a climate right now, I don't care what it is. Take them off the dang-gone field. Because you know what? As a man, that's the only thing we really respect. We don't respect no women. We don't respect no kids. The only thing Roger [Goodell] and them can do, take them off the field because they respect that."