Quarterback Quincy Carter said he was shocked by the Dallas Cowboys’ decision to release him Wednesday and called rumors about drug use being a factor in the move “ridiculous.”
Carter, who reported to training camp six days ago as the Cowboys’ starting quarterback, left the premises before practice began Wednesday morning.
Three sources have told the Dallas Morning News that Carter recently violated the NFL’s substance-abuse policy for the second time and would have been fined four game checks totaling $107,060 but would not have been suspended. A third violation would have resulted in a four-game suspension, according to league policy.
Numerous media outlets, all citing unidentified NFL sources, reported that Carter had failed a drug test before being released. The NFL had no comment. ESPN also reported that Carter spent time at a drug rehabilitation facility within the last 18 months.
Foxsports.com reported that Carter tested positive for cocaine. Through spokesman Greg Aiello, the NFL declined to comment on the Carter matter.
“I’m shocked. I’m at a loss for words,” Carter said in an exclusive interview with the Dallas Morning News. “The one thing I know and the people who have been around me all my life know is that cocaine has never been an issue for me. It never will be. And it’s disturbing that a rumor like that would come out.
“I don’t have one bad thing to say about the Dallas Cowboys, [coach] Bill Parcells or [owner] Jerry Jones. I have a lot of friends on the team. I just want my teammates and fans to know the cocaine rumor is ridiculous.”
Running back Aveion Cason, Carter’s closest friend on the team, said Carter came to his hotel room at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday to break the news.
“Quincy told me he had been released,” Cason said. “At first I thought he was joking. Then he told me he was serious. I could see his eyes were a little watery. Maybe that’s why he left so fast.”
Carter, now a free agent, is eligible to sign with any team. He passed for 3,302 yards last season and threw 17 TD passes with 21 interceptions as the Cowboys went 10-6 and made the playoffs for the first time since 1999.
Two club sources said a combination of violating the league’s substance-abuse policy, a poor attitude regarding the competition with Vinny Testaverde and an average performance in the first four days of two-a-day practices led to the Cowboys’ decision.
Club sources said Jones and Parcells weren’t comfortable with Carter being one failed test away from a suspension, so they ended the relationship.
“We’ve had ongoing conversations about all of our players,” Parcells said. “Jerry and I do that almost on a daily basis, so I don’t know if I can recall when we started talking about it. … We only make decisions based on the information we have.”
Parcells said the 40-year-old Testaverde would start at quarterback. Drew Henson and Eastern Illinois’ Tony Romo will compete for the backup job.
Neither Jones nor Parcells would comment on whether Carter had violated the league’s substance-abuse policy.
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“I want you to know–on my part–that this was not a difficult decision at all,” Jones said. “It is, though, very disappointing. Very disappointing.”
Parcells said he and Jones decided to release Carter on Tuesday evening. They notified him Wednesday morning.
“It certainly wasn’t a terse conversation,” Parcells said. “There was some dialogue back and forth. I’m saddened by this turn of events. I really am. I had a good relationship with the kid.”
When asked if Carter let him down, Jones said, “Yes.”
Carter spent the off-season studying videotape of Peyton Manning’s footwork and Michael Vick’s compact throwing motion to improve his accuracy. He weighed 214 pounds–five fewer than Parcells had requested–when training camp arrived because he wanted to run more this season.
Carter was drafted by the Cubs out of high school in 1996 and spent three seasons in Class A before heading to the University of Georgia to play football.
He did not participate in team passing drills Tuesday because it was his turn to sit out that portion of practice. Each of the first four days of practice, a different quarterback had been held out of team passing drills.
When practice ended, the players and assistant coaches huddled around Parcells and Jones as everyone else–scouts, equipment men and front-office personnel–walked to the sideline.
Parcells and Jones spoke for nearly 10 minutes before dismissing the players.
Most trudged silently to the locker room. Cason, guard Larry Allen and running back Eddie George were among a few who signed autographs.Parcells made it clear that there is no time for a pity party. The regular season–39 days away–looms.
“Now, neither one of us is looking back,” Parcells said. “The wheel is spinning, and we have put our bets down.”