Michael Carter Bio
Michael Carter (born May 7, 1999) is an American professional football running back for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels and was selected by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL draft. Carter has built his career on a blend of patience, vision, and pass-catching ability out of the backfield, traits that have allowed him to contribute as both a rusher and a receiver in the modern NFL.
Early Life and Background
Michael Carter was born in Okinawa, Japan, where his father played in the X-League, the top level of American football in Japan. He moved to Florida as a toddler and grew up in Navarre, Florida, where he attended Navarre High School. That international upbringing, followed by a return to the United States during his earliest years, helped shape a grounded personality that teammates and coaches have frequently pointed to since his professional debut.
At Navarre High School, Carter emerged as one of the most productive running backs in the state of Florida. As a junior, he rushed for 526 yards and nine touchdowns before a season-ending injury cut his year short after only three games. He bounced back emphatically as a senior, rushing for 2,536 yards while accumulating 3,345 all-purpose yards and 45 total touchdowns, earning recognition as the Florida Offensive Player of the Year by USA Today. Carter ultimately committed to play college football at North Carolina over scholarship offers from Florida, Louisville, Mississippi State, and Tennessee.
Path to American Football
Carter arrived at the University of North Carolina as a true freshman and quickly carved out a role in the Tar Heels backfield. In his first college season, he rushed for 559 yards on 97 carries and added eight touchdowns, showing enough burst and pass-protection skills to earn a steady workload. The foundation laid during that freshman year allowed him to grow into a more complete back over the following seasons.
By his sophomore year, Carter had expanded his receiving profile, rushing 84 times for 597 yards and two touchdowns while catching 25 passes for 135 yards and another score. During his junior season, he crossed the 1,000-yard rushing mark with 1,003 yards and three touchdowns, added 21 receptions for 154 yards and two more scores, and was named third-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Those three seasons of steady development positioned him as one of the most experienced backs in the 2021 NFL draft class.
Michael Carter Career
College Career (2018-2020)
Michael Carter saved his best collegiate season for last. Going into his senior year, he was named to the Doak Walker Award and Paul Hornung Award watchlists, two of the most prestigious honors for college running backs and all-purpose players. He was named ACC Running Back of the Week after rushing for 214 yards and two touchdowns against Virginia Tech on October 10, 2020.
Later that season, Carter and fellow North Carolina running back Javonte Williams combined for 544 rushing yards against Miami, the most by two running backs in a single college football game. Carter led the team in that contest with 308 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He finished 2020 with 1,245 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns, plus 267 receiving yards and two more scores, before opting out of the Orange Bowl to prepare for the NFL draft. Carter ended his Tar Heels career with 3,403 total rushing yards, the fourth-best mark in program history, and was named a Pro Football Focus first-team All-American alongside Williams.
New York Jets Era (2021-2023)
On May 1, 2021, Michael Carter was selected by the New York Jets with the 107th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL draft. He signed his four-year rookie contract with the Jets on June 4, 2021, and quickly earned an offensive role. Carter made his first career start in Week 3 of his rookie season and scored his first career touchdown in Week 4 during a 27-24 win over the Tennessee Titans.
A high ankle sprain in Week 11 sent Carter to injured reserve on November 27, 2021, but he was activated on December 18 and closed his rookie year with 147 carries for 639 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns, along with 36 receptions for 325 receiving yards. His rushing total ranked fourth among all NFL rookies in 2021. In 2022, Carter recorded two rushing touchdowns against the Miami Dolphins in a 40-17 Week 5 victory and finished the season with 114 carries for 402 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns, plus 41 receptions for 288 receiving yards in 16 games and ten starts. On November 14, 2023, Carter was released by the Jets.
Arizona Cardinals Era (2023-Present)
On November 15, 2023, Michael Carter was claimed off waivers by the Arizona Cardinals, giving him a fresh start in the NFC West. He spent time on the Cardinals active roster and practice squad over the following seasons, providing depth and special teams value at running back.
Carter was waived by the Cardinals on August 27, 2024, and re-signed to the practice squad the following day before being promoted to the active roster on January 1, 2025. On August 26, 2025, he was again waived as part of final roster cuts and re-signed to the practice squad the next day, then signed back to the active roster on September 29. He was released on October 27, re-signed to the practice squad the next day, and promoted back to the active roster on November 8, reflecting the constant roster churn that defines a reserve running back’s career in today’s NFL.
Notable Events and Milestones
Carter’s most memorable college moment came against Miami in 2020, when his 308-yard performance powered a historic 544-yard combined rushing day with Javonte Williams. At the professional level, his first career touchdown against Tennessee and his two-touchdown game versus Miami stand out as signature moments from his time with the Jets.
Michael Carter Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Michael Carter was born into a football family, with his father having played in Japan’s X-League, the highest level of American football in the country. That overseas start gave Carter an early connection to the sport before the family relocated to Florida, where he grew up and eventually became one of the most decorated high school running backs in the state.
Personal Life
Carter grew up in Navarre, Florida, where he attended Navarre High School and built the work ethic that has carried him through a professional career. Public details about his personal life beyond football remain limited, and he has generally kept his family and relationships out of the spotlight.
2025 Season Performance
Michael Carter’s 2025 season with the Arizona Cardinals has reflected the unpredictable nature of a reserve running back’s year. He entered training camp competing for a depth role, was waived as part of the August 26 final cuts, and quickly re-signed to the practice squad the following day to remain in the organization.
Carter was promoted to the active roster on September 29, only to be released again on October 27 before another quick return to the practice squad. His most recent promotion came on November 8, when the Cardinals again signed him to the active roster, underscoring the franchise’s continued trust in his pass-catching and special teams skills.
Heading into the back stretch of the 2025 season, Carter remains part of the Cardinals’ running back rotation and practice squad plan, with his role likely to expand if injuries hit the top of the depth chart. His blend of receiving experience, blitz pickup, and familiarity with the Cardinals’ offensive system gives Arizona a dependable veteran option for the final weeks of the year.