The number that kept Arion Carter off the field in Tennessee’s season opener will now help fund cancer research.
Now, he’s changing what the number attached to his suspension represents.
Carter will donate $427 to cancer research for every tackle he records this season, turning the dollar figure connected to the violation that resulted in his one-game suspension into a season-long fundraising effort.
“Obviously, due to my circumstances, you can’t really change the circumstances that you’re put in,” Carter said. “So, I try to turn a negative into a positive, per se, and put a smile on people’s faces.”
The cause is personal.
Carter said his mother has long wanted to establish a nonprofit benefiting women and young girls. More recently, Carter has watched his girlfriend battle through her own cancer diagnosis.
Seeing that battle firsthand changed his perspective.
“It just really touched my heart,” Carter said, “And it really made me have a different perspective and want to be able to raise awareness and set up a foundation for cancer research.”
Carter said the money will go through the nonprofit his mother established. He hopes his pledge becomes only a starting point and encourages teammates, Tennessee supporters and others affected by cancer to contribute.
Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said the decision reflects the person Carter has become.
“I think it’s indicative of who he is,” Heupel said. “He’s passionate about a cause for multiple reasons. Obviously, his girlfriend, but his family history as well.”
Carter now has his first opportunity to add to that total.
The senior linebacker is set to make his season debut Saturday at Georgia Tech after missing Tennessee’s 56-9 win over Furman.
Carter admitted missing the opener hurt after an offseason spent preparing alongside his teammates. But he said he eventually began viewing the suspension as another challenge rather than the defining moment of his season.
Now, every tackle can mean something beyond football.
“It’s going to be like a breath of fresh air for me,” Carter said of his return. “It’s going to be like a sense of relief.”
No. 20 Tennessee plays at Georgia Tech at 7 p.m. Saturday.
