Cris Carter thanks Buddy Ryan and his wife, brings them into Hall of Fame with him

With tears in his eyes, Cris Carter thanked former Eagles coach Buddy Ryan during his Hall of Fame induction speech on Saturday in Canton, Ohio. The wide receiver thanked Ryan for cutting him, which Carter described as "the best thing that ever happened to me."

The Hall of Famer spent the majority of his career with the Minnesota Vikings, but it was Ryan and the Philadelphia Eagles who drafted the wideout from Ohio State in 1987.

Ryan cut Carter, who battled a substance abuse problem, in 1990. But if Ryan listened to his wife, Carter would have stayed with the Birds.

When Ryan explained to Carter that he was being released, he told him a story about a conversation with his wife from the previous night.

"Don't cut Cris Carter," Ryan's wife told him after he asked for her advice. "He's going to do something special with his life."

Ryan's wife was right. Over a 16-year career, Carter amassed 13,899 receiving yards and 130 touchdowns. And now, he is forever enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

"Buddy Ryan and your lovely wife, I thank you," Carter said on Saturday. "You're going into the Hall with me tonight."

Click here to watch Carter's Hall of Fame induction speech.