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Carthon served as the Lions offensive coordinator in 2002 after originally joining the team as the running backs coach in 2001. In his two seasons with the Lions, he took over a running game that had averaged 3.9 (2000) and 3.5 (1999) yards-per-carry before his arrival and was instrumental in overseeing those numbers increase to 4.0 in 2001 and 4.1 in 2002. In addition, running back James Stewart posted a career-best 4.8 yards-per-carry average in 2001 and then came back in 2002 to record his second career 1,000-yard rushing season with 1,021 yards on 231 carries (4.4 avg.).
Prior to joining the Lions, Carthon served as assistant head coach/running backs for the New York Jets in 2000, which followed three years (1997-99) as the Jets' running backs coach under Bill Parcells. During his time in New York, the Jets produced four consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons from a running back after the franchise had experienced four 1,000-yard rushing seasons in its first 37-years of existence. Pro Bowl back Curtis Martin rushed for 1,204 yards - his sixth 1,000 yard rushing season - and nine touchdowns in 2000 after setting the team's single season rushing record with 1,464 yards in 1999. Martin also finished third on the team with 45 receptions for 259 yards in 1999. Under Carthon's direction, the Jets averaged 122.6 rushing yards-per-game, ranking seventh in the AFC and 12th in the NFL.
In 1998, Carthon worked two new starting backs in Keith Byars and Martin into the Jets' offensive scheme, helping Martin to 1,287 yards, his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard season and the second best rushing total in club history. The explosiveness of the Jets running game came to light against Indianapolis (9/20) when the club amassed 302 yards on the ground, the second best rushing total in a game in team history. Prior to the arrival of Martin, Carthon directed Adrian Murrell to become just the second running back in Jets history to have consecutive 1,000-yard seasons (Freeman McNeil, 1984-85), when he ran for 1,088 yards.
Carthon began his coaching career in New England in 1994 as an offensive assistant on Parcells' staff and shifted to coaching the Patriots' running backs and was a special teams assistant in '95. He became the sole running backs coach in '96. Carthon was partly responsible for the NFL's second highest scoring unit in 1996 (26.1 points-per-game) with New England. It was with the Patriots that Carthon first became strongly tied to the development of three-time Pro Bowler and current Jets' RB Curtis Martin. Carthon began working with Martin in 1995, a season which saw the unheralded third-round draft choice set single-season rushing records with 1,487 yards and 14 touchdowns on 368 carries and became the only rookie selected to play in the Pro Bowl while also garnering Rookie of the Year honors.
A veteran of eight NFL seasons as a player, Carthon began his career in 1985 when he signed with the New York Giants as a free agent. He played the next seven seasons with the team and was a key member of Parcells' 1986 and 1990 Giants Super Bowl championship teams as a punishing blocking fullback. He finished his NFL playing career with the Indianapolis Colts in 1992. Carthon never missed a game due to injury in his career, and he finished his playing days with 950 rushing yards and two touchdowns in 300 attempts and caught 90 passes for 745 yards and two touchdowns.
Prior to signing with the Giants, Carthon began his professional playing career as an eighth-round draft pick of the USFL's New Jersey Generals. He played for the Generals from 1983-85, rushing for 2,102 yards and helping pave the way for the league's leading rusher, Herschel Walker. In 1984, Carthon started all 18 games and finished the season with a career-high 1,042 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.
Carthon twice earned all-Southland Conference honors while starring at Arkansas State and led the team in rushing with 682 yards as a senior team captain. He attended Osceola, Ark., High School and was named the state MVP in basketball and twice earned all-conference honors in football.
Born on April 24, 1961, in Chicago, Ill., Carthon earned his degree in physical education and science from Arkansas State and was honored as the Osceola Man of the Year in 1991.
