By Nick Wagoner
Senior Writer

After six seasons in the NFL, Tim Carter finally had the means to make his off the field dreams become a reality.

Carter had been a solid receiver for the Giants for five seasons and chipped in for a season in Cleveland. But Carter had designs on something grander than his exploits on the football field.

In one sense, Carter wanted to begin building profitable business ventures that would last well beyond his football career. In another, he wanted to build a legacy of helping the community that would also outlast his playing days.

So it was that Carter began a residential treatment center for abused and neglected teenagers called “Carter’s Kids” in Richmond, Texas during June of last year. Meanwhile back in his home town of St. Petersburg, Florida, Carter purchased a pair of Popeye’s chicken franchises.

Ultimately, those ideas kept him out of the game that put him in position to make those things happen in the first place. It’s what has brought him here to St. Louis, where he is competing for a roster spot at receiver with a plethora of unknown youngsters.

“A lot of people don’t know my story, really,” Carter said. “Last year, I had two business start ups. I didn’t intend on how much work went into those projects so I didn’t work out for about four and a half months straight.”

After he left Cleveland following the 2007 season, Carter signed with Houston on May 22, 2008.

From the time the 2007 ended to the time he signed with the Texans, Carter had not put in much, if any, time working out in the weight room or running on a football field. His sole focus had become getting his organization and his two new businesses up and running.

“I didn’t sleep because I had so much work,” Carter said. “I have an organization for kids that had to get underway, the only way it could have been realized is for me to put the work in. it just got to a certain point where I had so much into it that I was getting a lot of calls and I was very honest with teams at that time because I wasn’t ready. I got off to a very late start last year. It was a difficult position to be in but it was something I felt like I had to do.”

In Houston, Carter lasted until the final round of training camp cuts but ultimately did not make the team. At that point, Carter realized the work he had put in to his off the field ideas had made it difficult for him to play at the level he was accustomed.

After his time with the Texans ended, Carter received a few calls from teams around the league looking to bring him in for a tryout.

Carter declined those opportunities, staying honest with the teams about his condition and letting them know he simply wasn’t ready to play.

“I got some calls but it got to a certain point where my window of opportunity at the time – you are communicating with teams that you tell look I am not ready, I have things going on – I am pretty sure that had an effect with last season,” Carter said. “But I feel like it was a blessing. “

Indeed, while Carter was unable to help a football team win games in 2008, he did plenty to help some youngsters in need of help. At the residential treatment center he created, he says he works with 24 teenagers in need of a mentor and a friend (more information can be found at CartersKidsRTC.com).

At some point, Carter hopes to open a similar facility in St. Petersburg. Carter also has successfully opened the two Popeye’s franchises in his hometown and hopes to add a couple more in the near future.

Although his off the field endeavors kept him off the field last year, Carter says he doesn’t regret doing what he did and says the work at least kept him busy during the season.

“It was difficult watching last season,” Carter said. “It wasn’t like I was just sitting and didn’t have anything to do. I think that’s what kind of helped.”

When the season ended and his businesses settled in, Carter went back to work to see about getting back on the football field.

Carter was energized by the emergence of his brother Pat Carter, a former quarterback turned receiver attempting to land a roster spot with Tampa Bay.

The Carters have spent the offseason working out together. While Tim shows Pat some of the ins and outs of running NFL routes, the younger Carter has been able to push big brother to get back into the game.

“Training with him has definitely assisted,” Tim Carter said. “I think it would have been difficult to try to do that on my own.”

Training to get back into the league is one thing but actually doing it is another. Despite posting 80 catches for 1,084 yards and four touchdowns in his time in the league, Carter’s disappearance from the NFL map, made it impossible for him to land a contract without a tryout.

Eventually, Carter landed a tryout with the Rams during their May minicamp at the beginning of the month.

Carter made an impression on coach Steve Spagnuolo in that camp with his speed and Carter landed a deal with the team to provide some experience and competition at the position.

Of course, Carter just missed Spagnuolo in New York but Spagnuolo was aware of Carter from his time working with the Eagles.

“I always had a lot of respect for him when I was in Philadelphia and he was playing for the Giants,” Spagnuolo said. “I remember going into every one of those games, and you'd say, 'When they're in a two-wideout offense, when No. 82 comes in, watch out for his speed.'”

Carter does bring another element of speed to the Rams offense though he’s spending most of his time for now trying to get acclimated to a new offense and find his way back on to the field.

If nothing else, he’s going to be mired in a heated competition for a spot on the roster during training camp. The only question remains as to whether he can shake off the stigma that goes with a one-year absence from the game.

“I think he's got a load of talent,” Spagnuolo said. “He's been away from it for a year, so you've got to figure out if he can knock the rust off. But if he does that . . . he's a pro. I really like the way he goes about things.”

For the first time in about a year, Carter is back to being all business on the field.