Harry Carson
Harry Donald Carson (born November 26, 1953) is an American former professional football player who served as a middle linebacker for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL) throughout his entire 13-season career from 1976 to 1988.[1][2] Drafted in the fourth round of the 1976 NFL Draft from South Carolina State University, where he excelled as a defensive end and never missed a game in college, Carson transitioned seamlessly to linebacker in the pros, amassing 1,122 tackles (official Giants counts) and establishing himself as a durable, instinctive leader on the field.[2][3][4] Renowned for his emotional intensity and exemplary conduct, he earned nine Pro Bowl selections, led Giants defenders in tackles five times, and captained the team for 10 seasons, including the pivotal 1986 drive to Super Bowl XXI triumph over the Denver Broncos by a score of 39-20.[2][3][5] Carson's legacy was cemented with induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006, recognizing his on-field dominance and off-field integrity, including post-retirement advocacy for youth and athletes with disabilities through organizations like Special Olympics.[2][5][6]Early Life and Education
Childhood in Florence, South Carolina
Harry Donald Carson was born on November 26, 1953, in Florence, South Carolina, to parents Gladys Carson and Edgar Charles Carson Sr.[3][1] As the youngest of six children in the family, Carson grew up in a household that emphasized discipline and community ties in the small city of Florence.[3][7] During his early years, Carson attended local public schools, including Wilson High School, where he began playing organized football as a defensive end starting in his sophomore year.[1][7] He also participated in the Air Force Junior ROTC program at Wilson, developing leadership skills alongside his emerging athletic interests.[1] Later transferring to McClenaghan High School in Florence, from which he graduated, Carson continued football, playing both offensively and defensively but concentrating primarily on defense, which foreshadowed his future professional role as a linebacker.[2][8] Florence's community environment, with its emphasis on local sports and family support, shaped Carson's foundational experiences, though specific anecdotes from his pre-teen years remain limited in public records.[9] He has maintained strong ties to the area, retaining a family home there into adulthood.[9]College Career at South Carolina State University
Carson attended South Carolina State University (SCSU), an historically Black college in Orangeburg, South Carolina, where he played college football as a defensive end from 1972 to 1975 under head coach Willie Jeffries.[2] He appeared in every game over those four seasons without missing a single contest, demonstrating exceptional durability.[10] During this period, Carson transitioned from a lineman to a dominant defensive force in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), anchoring the Bulldogs' front line and contributing to team defenses noted for their stinginess.[9] In 1973 and 1974, Carson became the first player in SCSU history to earn MEAC Defensive Player of the Year honors in consecutive seasons, recognizing his disruptive presence against opposing offenses.[9] He helped lead the Bulldogs to back-to-back MEAC championships during his tenure.[11] His senior year in 1975 marked a pinnacle, as he earned first-team All-America recognition while setting school and conference records with 17 quarterback sacks and 112 tackles; that season, SCSU's defense allowed just 29 points over 10 games—a mark that remains an NCAA record for fewest points allowed—and recorded six shutouts.[12] Carson also received additional accolades, including selections to the Kodak All-American Football Team, NAIA All-American Team, and Pittsburgh Courier All-American.[13] Beyond on-field performance, Carson pursued academics diligently, graduating in 1976 with a Bachelor of Science degree in education, which laid groundwork for his post-football endeavors.[3] His college contributions were later honored with induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002, affirming his status as one of SCSU's most impactful defensive players.[12]Professional Football Career
NFL Draft and Early Years with the New York Giants
Carson was selected by the New York Giants in the fourth round, 105th overall, of the 1976 NFL Draft out of South Carolina State University.[4] Although drafted as a defensive end from college, Giants' defensive coordinator Marty Schottenheimer quickly transitioned him to middle linebacker, a position he would anchor for much of his career.[1] The Giants, coming off a 2-12 season in 1975, sought defensive reinforcements, and Carson's selection represented a mid-round gamble on an undersized but athletic prospect from a historically black college.[14] In his rookie 1976 season, Carson appeared in 12 games, starting eight, and recorded two sacks along with one fumble recovery, contributing to a Giants defense that struggled amid a 3-11 finish.[4] His performance earned him a spot on the NFL All-Rookie Team, signaling his rapid adaptation to professional play despite the team's overall defensive woes, which allowed 361 points that year.[15] By 1977, Carson solidified his starting role, playing all 14 games with two sacks, as he began to emerge as a tackling force on a unit still searching for consistency.[4] Carson's breakout came in 1978, when he started all 16 games, notched three interceptions, two sacks, and four forced fumbles, leading to his first Pro Bowl selection and second-team All-Pro honors.[4] He reportedly led the Giants in tackles that season, a pattern that would continue for multiple years, underscoring his role as the defensive signal-caller.[5] The following year, 1979, saw him start 15 of 16 games, again with three interceptions and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown, earning another Pro Bowl nod while helping the Giants improve to 6-10.[4] However, 1980 brought challenges, as injuries limited him to eight games and seven starts, though he remained a foundational piece amid the team's 4-12 record.[4] These early years established Carson as a durable, instinctive linebacker essential to rebuilding the Giants' defense.Mid-Career Achievements and Leadership Role
Carson established himself as a cornerstone of the New York Giants' defense in the early 1980s, serving as defensive captain and leading the team in tackles during several seasons, which underscored his on-field reliability and command presence.[2][14] His leadership extended beyond statistics, as he mentored younger players and maintained team morale amid inconsistent results, including the Giants' first playoff appearance since 1963 in 1981.[16] The 1982 season marked a pivotal mid-career milestone, with Carson earning his first of nine Pro Bowl selections and recording an NFL single-game high of 25 tackles (20 solo) in a Monday Night Football victory over the Green Bay Packers on September 20.[14] This performance highlighted his tackling prowess and range, contributing to a defense that began laying the groundwork for future dominance despite the strike-shortened season. He followed with consecutive Pro Bowl nods from 1983 to 1985, reflecting sustained excellence as the Giants improved under new head coach Bill Parcells, who arrived in 1983.[2] As Parcells rebuilt the franchise, Carson emerged as a vital locker room lieutenant, enforcing accountability and fostering the gritty ethos that transformed the Giants' unit into the "Big Blue Wrecking Crew."[16][17] His captaincy during this period—spanning multiple seasons by then—provided continuity, with Carson leading in tackles again in key years and helping limit opponents to an average of 3.59 yards per rush from 1981 to 1987.[14] This era saw the Giants post winning records in 1984 (9-7) and 1985 (10-5), culminating in playoff berths where Carson's vocal and physical presence stabilized the defense.[3]Later Years, Retirement, and Statistical Legacy
In the 1980s, Carson solidified his role as the New York Giants' defensive leader amid the team's resurgence, captaining the unit known as the "Big Blue Wrecking Crew" that emphasized physical run defense against the NFC East's ground-heavy offenses.[2] He earned seven straight Pro Bowl nods from 1982 to 1988, leading all Giants defenders in tackles during five of those seasons, with a career-high 157 tackles in 1984.[2] Carson's contributions peaked in the 1986 season, when the Giants' defense held opponents to under 300 yards per game en route to a 14-2 record and a dominant 39-20 victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXI on January 25, 1987.[3] In that game, he recorded four tackles and helped limit Denver to 93 rushing yards.[2] Carson returned for the 1988 season, starting all 16 games and registering 89 tackles while mentoring younger linebackers like Carl Banks, but the Giants finished 10-6 without a playoff berth amid coaching transitions under Bill Parcells.[4] He retired immediately after the season's end on December 18, 1988, citing a desire to preserve his health after 13 grueling years and declining to play under new head coach Bill Belichick, concluding his entire NFL tenure with one franchise.[18][3] Carson's statistical profile underscores his value as a tackling machine and run-stopper in an era before official league-wide tackle records (pre-1994) and with sacks tracked only from 1982 onward; New York Giants records credit him with 856 total tackles (627 unassisted) over his career.[14] Key career totals include:| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Games Played | 173 |
| Interceptions | 11 |
| Fumble Recoveries | 14 (3rd in Giants history) |
| Sacks (unofficial full career) | 19 |
| Defensive Touchdowns | 1 |