By Joshua Cooley, Sharing the Victory Magazine (Fellowship of Christian Athletes)
December 14, 2006
Carolina Panthers Mike Minter and Mike Rucker are more than teammates. They're brothers.Mike Minter and Mike Rucker, two longstanding pillars
in the Carolina Panthers’ defense, are the best of
friends. But there’s one thing Minter, a safety,
just can’t understand about his chum, a hulking defensive
end.
“The guy’s 6-foot-5, 280 pounds,” marveled
Minter, who checks in at 5-10, 195. “He’s a
big guy and the scariest dude you could ever meet. But
if he’s at home and hears a noise at night, he makes
his wife go see who it is.”
Minter can’t get through the story without cracking
up.
“He’s like a little baby,” Minter said,
laughing. “He’s like a little, spoiled baby.”
Rucker, of course, denies such preposterous claims.
“No, that’s not true,” Rucker said, chuckling. “He
blows things out of proportion. It’s not that bad.”
The two Mikes boast a camaraderie that is rare in professional
sports. While there are plenty of tight-knit teammates
who rib each other and enjoy playing together, the roots
of this friendship go much deeper. Minter and Rucker are
bonded by 11 seasons together as teammates in college and
the NFL and, more importantly, their mutual faith in Jesus
Christ.
“Proverbs 27:17 talks about iron sharpening iron,” said
Chris Bubak, the FCA leader at the University of Nebraska,
where the two players went to college. “I see that
with those guys.”
Getting Defensive
Go ahead. Tell opposing quarterbacks that Rucker is a “little,
spoiled baby.” They’ll laugh in your face.
Rucker has been terrorizing NFL offenses for eight years
now, and Minter for 10. They rank at or near the top of
numerous all-time categories in the Panthers’ 12-year
history.
Mike Minter #30 Position: Safety Height: 5-10 Weight: 195 Birthdate: 01/15/1974 Hometown: Lawton, Okla. College: Nebraska NFL Experience: 10 yrs Panthers Experience: 10 years |
Mike Rucker # 93 Position: Defensive End Height: 6-5 Weight: 275 Birthdate: 02/28/1975 Hometown: St. Joseph, Mo. College: Nebraska NFL Experience: 8 years Panthers Experience: 8 years |
Reaching Out
Since starting as an expansion franchise in 1995, the
Panthers have experienced the highest of highs and the
lowest of lows. In their first 11 seasons, they reached
the playoffs three times, including their lone Super Bowl
appearance during the 2003 season, a 32-29 loss to New
England. Just two years earlier, the team had gone 1-15.
The two Mikes have experienced much of the roller-coaster
ride. Minter, 32, has been with the team since 1997, and
Rucker, 31, since 1999. Because of their faith, both have
a different outlook than many players on the fleeting fame
of NFL life.
“The good thing is, God doesn’t change,” Minter
said.
Statistically, the two players have carved their names
indelibly into the young franchise’s record books.
Entering this season, Minter ranked as Carolina’s
all-time leader in tackles (861), forced fumbles (16),
fumble recoveries (9), interception returns for touchdowns
(4), interception return yards (418), games started (125)
and consecutive starts (78). He also ranked second with
16 interceptions and 61 special-teams tackles.
Rucker came into 2006 ranked first in career sacks (47.5)
and second in career tackles (452). In 2002-03, he combined
for 22 sacks, becoming one of only three players in team
history to record at least 10 sacks in consecutive seasons.
He also made the Pro Bowl in 2003.
Mike Minter Photo courtesy of the Carolina Panthers |
Super Aspirations
Mike Rucker Photo courtesy of the Carolina Panthers |
In the meantime, there’s a lot of football left
to be played. The Panthers, a trendy preseason pick to
challenge for the NFC title, started the season 0-2. But
the team didn’t panic, especially not longtime veterans
like Minter and Rucker who know the game’s ebbs and
flows well.
In difficult times, the two Mikes have a solid support
system within the team to lean on. They are blessed with
a spiritual presence unique among many NFL teams. Besides
their close friendship, they also have bedrock ties with
kicker John Kasay, a strong believer and the only player
left from the franchise’s inaugural 1995 team, and
chaplain Mike Bunkley, among others.
“There has been a nucleus of guys that have been
there awhile, and their locker room has taken on something
different that you don’t see in most NFL locker rooms,” Bubak
said.
The two Mikes, who didn’t become really close friends
until several years ago, are now “peas in a pod,” as
Bubak calls them. Their bond stretches well beyond their
teammate status. Both their wives are both from Nebraska
and their children are roughly the same age. The families
live next door to each other in Charlotte and vacation
together. At the center of it all is their Christian brotherhood.
“There’s nothing like it because I can talk
to him about anything,” said Minter, who lost his
mother in August. “Anytime you can open up and know
you’re not going to get hurt, it’s phenomenal.”
Said Rucker, “I know a lot about him, and he knows
a lot about me. That’s the key. When you can be honest
with people and search for answers, that’s huge.
We’re on the same page.”
The two have enjoyed national titles at Nebraska and a
Super Bowl appearance together. Now, they’d like
nothing more than to share the experience of winning a
Super Bowl.
“I don’t just want to get there, I want to
win it,” Minter said. “It’s a deal where
I’m working hard and the rest of the guys are working
hard to get there. I want to get there and make it happen,
but at the end of the day, it’s not the most important
thing."