Cris Carter: ‘I never used Stickum’

Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter said on Twitter that he never used Stickum when he played, days after Jerry Rice admitted he did use the sticky stuff.

Cris Carter took issue with fellow Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice claiming everyone was using Stickum back in the day, saying on that he did not use Stickum during his career that spanned 16 NFL seasons.

I never used #StickumGate , and @JerryRice isn't speaking about me or for me.
— Cris Carter (@criscarter80) February 8, 2015

That came in response to Jerry Rice’s admission last week that he used the stuff during his long career, primarily with the San Francisco 49ers.

Carter further elaborated on his non-cheater-dudedness on Monday:

God made my hands, he put #StickumGate on them,never a need to use anything but my God giving talent, and perfect it with a Jugs machine.
— Cris Carter (@criscarter80) February 9, 2015

We’re not sure what a “God giving talent” is, but we’ll write it off to the damned auto-correct function and be done with it.

Since Rice’s admission, no other receivers have admitted to its use, while Carter is the first to deny using it.

More from Minnesota Vikings

Stickum was a common product in the NFL for years—along with glue, rosin and other sticky substances—to help plays gripping the ball.

But the NFL banned its use in 1981, becoming known as the “Lester Hayes rule.” The Oakland Raiders defensive back’s pre-game preparation appeared to include getting into his uniform and then being doused in several gallons of the goo.

Carter caught 1,101 passes in his career, 130 of them for touchdowns, with the Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings and Miami Dolphins from 1987-2002.

He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013 after being a finalist five straight times but falling short of election.

Carter was released after three seasons with the Eagles, with Buddy Ryan famously saying Carter was cut because “he only caught touchdowns.”

When Carter came clean about his drug problems, specifically cocaine, while he was with the Eagles, he said Ryan told him he would never reveal his drug use to anyone.

That’s apparently what led to the iconic quote and the criticism Ryan took for cutting a guy who went onto become an All-Pro receiver in Minnesota.

Could it have been as simple as Carter not wanting to use Stickum because his coke would stick to it? Just kidding, folks.

Of course, the receivers of this generation don’t need Stickum. The gloves that are worn by receivers today are basically legalized Stickum, anyway.

Rice’s admission was made more noteworthy because it came on the heels of criticizing the New England Patriots for cheating by allegedly taking air out of footballs.

So deflating a football is cheating. Using Stickum after it was outlawed? That’s just gaining a competitive edge, apparently.

Rice’s mea culpa was later augmented by saying he was unaware it had been banned.

It was the “All players did it!” line in Rice’s tweet that prompted Carter to take off on his little rant, which ended with this a tweet—since deleted—that said if Rice did use the sticky stuff, then he cheated (per CBSSports.com).

Is there anything less compelling over old guys arguing over whether or not they cheated 25 or 30 years ago?

Didn’t think so.

Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter said on Twitter that he never used Stickum when he played, days after Jerry Rice admitted he did use the sticky stuff.

More from FanSided