Cris Carter out at Fox Sports after reports of behind-the-scenes turmoil

After reports of behind-the-scenes issues at FS1, NFL-receiver-turned-TV-analyst Cris Carter is out at Fox Sports.

“Cris Carter is no longer with Fox Sports. There is no further comment at this time,” Fox Sports said in a statement.

The Hall of Famer and onetime Eagles wide receiver was hired in 2017, but hadn’t appeared on his FS1 show First Things First since Oct. 30. Carter was replaced by Chris Canty, with no mention of his absence.

It’s unclear what exactly led to Carter’s sudden departure. The Big Lead’s Ryan Glasspiegel reported last week that Carter had been suspended pending an unspecified investigation, while Front Office Sports’ Mike McCarthy wrote that “one high-placed source” said Carter was upset he has been excluded from Fox’s Thursday Night Football pregame coverage.

Carter could not immediately be reached.

Prior to joining Fox Sports, Carter spent eight years as an NFL analyst at ESPN, where he helped anchor the network’s popular Sunday morning pregame show NFL Countdown. He started his TV career as a studio analyst on HBO’s Inside the NFL in 2002, where he famously interviewed former Eagles coach Buddy Ryan and opened up about his controversial release from the team.

Carter finished his career as the NFL’s second-all-time leading receiver, racking up 1,101 receptions for 13,899 yards. His 130 touchdowns were also the second-most in league history. Carter is also a member of the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1990s, an honor he shares with his now-former FS1 colleague and Undisputed co-host Shannon Sharpe.