Quick Facts
Biography
Tank Carder (born January 18, 1989) is an American football linebacker for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). Carder played college football at TCU. He was a 2010 All-American selection by the American Football Coaches Association.
Early life
When he was 10 years old, Carder was a BMX World Champion. Battled back from a life-threatening injury at age 13, when he sustained a broken back, broken ribs, a punctured diaphragm and punctured lung after being thrown from a vehicle, which then rolled over him.
Carder attended Sweeny High School in Texas, where he accounted for 1,200 yards of offense and 116 tackles on defense in his senior year. He was regarded as a two-star recruit by Rivals.com.
College career
Four-year letterman at Texas Christian University, where he was named a two-time Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year (2010, 2011).
In the 2011 Rose Bowl, Carder was named Defensive MVP of the Game. He batted down a two-point conversion pass late in the fourth quarter that would have tied the game to go into overtime but secured the win for TCU with a final score of 21–19.
Professional career
Buffalo Bills
Carder was selected in the fifth round, 147th overall, in the 2012 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. On August 31, 2012, the Bills released Carder for final roster cuts.
Cleveland Browns
Carder was claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Browns on September 4, 2012. He has played in 30 career games, with two starts at linebacker, and is a primary contributor on special teams.
The Browns re-signed Carder on March 7, 2016.
Controversy
On November 21, 2012, Carder sent a tweet calling another Twitter user a “faggot,” leading to calls that he be fined and suspended. The tweet was in response to a tweet about Call of Duty made by a satirical comedy account. Carder stood by his statements, tweeting “I don’t agree with being gay or lesbian at all, but saying faggot doesn’t make me a homophobe, it’s just a word.” Carder has since deleted the tweets and apologized, claiming his tweets did not reflect his character. The NFL did not impose any suspensions or fines.