By Mark Barden BBC Sport Online

He thought about delaying the inevitable for another season or two, but Cris Carter finally decided the time was right to quit.

He bows out of the NFL in second place on the league's all-time leading receivers list (1,093 passes), behind only the still-active Jerry Rice (1,364).

After 12 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Carter was an unrestricted free agent and had considered joining a team with Super Bowl potential.

But, with his best days surely behind him at the age of 36, he has opted instead for a new career in the media, working for HBO's 'Inside The NFL' programme.

Taking another shot at Super Bowl glory must have tempted the man who joins the list of NFL greats who failed to win the sport's ultimate prize.

Stand-out

The most recent of Minnesota's four losing Super Bowl appearances came way back in 1977 - 10 years before Carter began his NFL career with Philadelphia

A university stand-out with Ohio State, he was selected in the fourth round of the draft by the Eagles in 1987.

He ran for 1,550 receiving yards in his three seasons with Philadelphia, touching down 19 times, before joining the Vikings off waivers in 1990.

Grace under pressure: Another TD for Carter

Carter's long stint in Minneapolis got off to a slow start, although he did have the pleasure of a 78-yard TD reception back in Philly.

He led the Vikes in receiving yards and receptions in 1991 and '92 but missed the final four games of the latter season through injury as Minnesota took the NFC Central title.

Carter's first 1,000-yard receiving season came in 1993, and he made his first trip to the Pro Bowl.

It was a taste of things to come, as 1994 saw him catch 122 balls, shattering the NFL record of 112.

Carter and Jake Reed also set a new mark for receptions by a receiving duo (85) as Minnesota won the NFC Central crown again.

The following year, Carter caught another 122 and set team records for touchdowns (17) and receiving yards (1,371).

Dumped

He continued to set the standard as Minnesota won further divisional titles in 1998 and 2000, but the Super Bowl remained out of reach.

Carter must have thought he was on course in 2001, when the Vikings dumped out reigning champions St Louis in the play-offs.

But they were humbled 41-0 by the New York Giants in the NFC Conference Championship.

Carter (r) thrived on the Culpepper's passes

That win over the Rams can perhaps be seen as the high-point of the Minnesota team featuring the offensive talents of Carter, fellow wide receiver Randy Moss and QB Daunte Culpepper.

Carter's last season with the Vikings ended in disappointing fashion as the Vikings lost their last four games to finish 5-11.

So, after 229 regular season games, 1,093 receptions, 13,833 receiving yards and 129 touchdowns, the curtain has come down on a great career.

Carter never managed to win a Super Bowl ring or catch up with living legend Rice in the statistical categories that count.

But if he brings the same level of skill and commitment to his new job in TV, the NFL's armchair fans are in for a treat.