Do NFL players cry?
Sure, some cry tears of joy after winning the Super Bowl or tears of sorrow after losing it. But do NFL players really cry—from sadness?
Yep. Meet Exhibit A: Mike Minter.
Last March, the Carolina Panthers’ 10-year safety traveled to the West African countries of Senegal and The Gambia on a philanthropic mission with the YMCA. His group visited infamous Goree Island, where European slave traders shipped millions of Africans to the New World for more than 300 years. With his two sons by his side, Minter walked through the harrowing slave quarters and stood in the doorway that marked the slaves’ final passage away from their homeland. Overwhelmed by one of history’s ugliest atrocities, Minter broke down.
“They had a door called the Door of No Return,” Minter says. “Then [the slaves] went to the ship. So much emotion came over me, I started crying.”
Minter’s tears stemmed from a virtue too often neglected in the egocentric arena of professional football: A heart for others.
Victories
Minter surrendered his life to Christ in 1995, after a severe knee injury and upcoming fatherhood caused him to reevaluate his life priorities while at the University of Nebraska.
After the Cornhuskers’ back-to-back national championships in 1995-1996, the defensive back was drafted by Carolina in the second round in 1997. By the end of 2006, the 5-foot-10-inch, 195-pound Minter ranked as the Panthers’ all-time leader in tackles (953), forced fumbles (16), fumble recoveries (11), interceptions returned for a touchdown (4) and interception return yardage (421).
Before the 2007 season, Minter announced it would be his last in the NFL. However, several weeks into training camp, Minter told reporters that his retirement would begin immediately. The 33-year-old’s knees just didn’t have enough for another year.
Priorities
Long before retirement, Minter’s vision extended beyond football. Through various real estate endeavors, Minter has helped restore rundown areas in his hometown of Lawton, Okla., and provided affordable housing to struggling individuals.
What’s most impressive is that Minter has reverse-tithed all his nonfootball income to church-related ministries. In other words, he gives away 90 percent and keeps 10. This, he says, is why he started his various businesses.
“I feel like God put that desire in me to supply the economic engine of ministry that He has called His people to do,” he says.
Minter has learned that football is insignificant in the grand scheme of things. But life, people, faith, eternity? Those are a whole different story, one that Minter doesn’t want to miss out on.
“I know having a relationship with the Lord is best, because it’s not going anywhere,” Minter says. “I can buy anything I want, but in the end, it doesn’t matter, because temporal things can’t satisfy eternal things. God didn’t give me all this stuff in my life for me. He gave me all this stuff for others. It’s a gift for others.”
Manly tears included. 
