Harry Carson's 13-year stint with football's New York Giants is one of the longest tenures in club history. The indestructible former linebacker served as Team Captain for 10 of his 13 seasons, including the 1986 season when the Giants defeated the Denver Broncos 3 9-20 in Super Bowl XXI. The #1 rated "inside linebacker" in NFL history according to Pro Football Weekly, Harry was named to the All-Rookie Team after his first NFL season; subsequently he was named to the All-NFL Team 7 times, the All-NFC Team 8 times, and NFC Linebacker of the Year twice. He once made an amazing 25 tackles during a Monday Night Football Game against the Green Bay Packers. With performances like that, he was selected by his peers to play in the NFC-AFC Pro Bowl 9 times and is among the top 300 players to ever play in the National Football League.
Carson set the pace for his remarkable career while a student at South Carolina State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education. The two-time Captain never missed a game during his four seasons as a defensive lineman for the Bulldogs, for which he had 114 tackles and 30 quarterback sacks in his senior year alone. During his college football career, Harry received honors for the Kodak All-American Football Team, All-State, All Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and MEAC Defensive Player of the Year twice. He excelled off the field as well, winning awards for the highest academic average amongst Black College All-Americans.
The end of Carson's football career marked the beginning of his career in Sports Broadcasting. Retiring from the NFL after the 1988 season, Carson co-hosted CNN's NFL Preview, appeared on WCBS as a Broadcast Analyst, and was a Special Correspondent for playoff and Super Bowl on ABC-TV's Good Morning America. Carson has worked as a Broadcast Analyst with ABC Sports College Football as well as New York's Madison Square Garden Network. He is currently a member of the New York Football Giants pre-season broadcasting team and is a regular season Broadcast Analyst for Giants GamePlan and Giants OnLine.
He is CEO and President of Harry Carson Inc., a Sports Consulting and Promotions Company. In that role, Harry, along with his company, consults with media outlets, educational sources and corporations on sports as well as non-sports related issues. Harry Carson Inc. provides expert television, radio and print media commentary on sports matters. His company is a provider of former professional athletes to schools and corporations that deliver motivational and inspirational sports theme presentations.
Harry Carson also currently serves as a Consultant with MONY's Sports Financial Services, specializing in assisting other athletes in achieving their objectives - off the field.
Carson has written an autobiography aptly titled Point of Attack published by McGrawHill and has had acting roles on daytime television shows The Guiding Light, One Life to Live, and Loving. He is currently a Guest Analyst and Contributor with Court TV, and is involved with numerous charities. Carson is a lecturer and motivational speaker to groups that range from juvenile and prison inmates to high school and college athletes to corporate executives.
He is affiliated with many organizations and is involved with numerous charities such as The United Way, The Boys Club, The Young Father's Program, The Literacy Council of New Jersey, The Tomorrow's Children Fund and MANetc, Inc. Harry is an honorary member of Phi Theta Kappa International Society. He also serves on the Board of Directors of New York State Special Olympics and The United Way of New York City as well as being a member of the NCAA Honors Committee.
Some of Carson's post football careers honors include induction into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame, The South Carolina State University Athletic Hall of Fame, The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Hall of Fame and The Sports Hall of Fame of New Jersey. He was also inducted into The Black College Alumni Hall of Fame, The Wilson High School Alumni Hall of Fame, the New Jersey Sportswriter's Hall of Fame and The College Football Hall of Fame (Division II). Carson has been named to the Sheridan Broadcasting Network 100 Year Anniversary Black College All-American Team and he has twice been a finalist for the National Football League Hall of Fame. He is a member of the All Division II Team of this Quarter Century and has been recognized as the South Carolina College Athlete of the Millennium by The State Newspaper of South Carolina. Harry Carson has also been recognized as a Kentucky Colonel and has been presented the Order of the Palmetto, the highest honor given to a native of South Carolina.
Harry has served as an Advisor to the Congress of Neurological Surgeons and is a member of the Brain Injury Association's Sports Injury Prevention Council. Former Governor Christine Whitman has also appointed Mr. Carson as a member of the New Jersey Advisory Council on Traumatic Brain Injury. He has established himself as an authority and internationally recognized speaker on Concussions in Sports.
He has represented the United States as a Special Goodwill Ambassador to France and was appointed by former New Jersey Governor Jim Florio to serve as Executive Director and Chairman of the New Jersey Governor's Council on Sports and Fitness. Carson has also worked with Bill Clinton, the President of the United States, on his Teen Anti-Smoking Campaign.
Carson is a lecturer and motivational speaker to groups that range from juvenile and prison inmates to high school and college athletes to corporate executives.
In his spare time, Harry Carson enjoys golf, bass fishing, auto racing and target shooting.