Cris Carter reportedly out at FOX over ‘serious matter,’ not TNF dispute

Cris Carter and FOX Sports have officially parted ways over what might sound like a petty disagreement, but there is reportedly a lot more to the story than what has come out to this point.

FOX announced in a very brief statement on Thursday that Carter no longer works for the network. The move came after word surfaced earlier in the week that Carter had a blowup with his bosses, and apparently he had been angry that FOX did not include him in its “Thursday Night Football” pregame coverage. While that may have been part of the issue, it does not sound like it was the main reason for Carter’s departure.

Sources told Andrew Marchand of the New York Post that Carter split with FOX over a matter than is “more serious” than his discontent over not being included in “Thursday Night Football” coverage. Details of the dispute are not yet known, but Carter reportedly was accompanied by security staffers when he gathered his things at the network office this week. That would seemingly indicate that the breakup was not an amicable one.

Carter has become known for some of his controversial takes over the years, so it’s possible — if not likely — that a combination of factors led to the Hall of Famer leaving FOX.