When you think of the greatest athletes in American history, who comes to mind?

Jesse Owens?  Michael Jordan? Bo Jackson? How about Michael Carter?

Michael Carter?

Perhaps the greatest athlete in American history, Michael Carter should be a household name, yet if you were asked to put a face or resume to this name, could you do it?

Google Michael Carter and the top results include basketball player Michael Carter-Williams and actor Michael Carter, famous for his performance in the original Star Wars trilogy.

You’ll have to do a little digging before you uncover this literal forgotten giant of sporting lore.

Among his many achievements, Carter is most notable is setting the national high school record for shot put. His toss of 81 ft 3.5 inches was set in 1979.  No one has come within five feet since.

This achievement is widely considered to be one of the greatest in the history of high school athletics. Carter went on to win four state titles in shot put and one in discus.

After high school, Carter attended Southern Methodist University, leading the Mustangs to indoor and outdoor National Track and Field Championships in 1983. He captured seven out of a possible eight individual honors for shot put during his tenure at SMU.  No one before or since has won as many individual titles as Carter.

Carter would go on to represent the United States in the 1984 Olympics and win a silver medal in shot put.

His achievements in throwing are enough to warrant immense praise, but his achievements on the football field are just as notable.

Carter was part of the early 80’s “Pony Express” dynasty, winning 39 games over four seasons with the SMU Mustangs. He had the pleasure of playing with football greats such as Eric Dickerson and Craig James.

But Michael Carter did not simply ride the bench, he anchored the SMU defense at nose tackle, performing well enough to get drafted in the 5th round by the San Francisco 49ers in 1983.

Carter flourished in professional football, he was elected to three Pro Bowls and was part of three Super Bowl winning teams.

In 1984, Carter became the only athlete in history to win an Olympic Medal and Super Bowl ring in the same year.

So why isn’t Michael Carter more widely known? Despite several documentaries about his excellence in athletics, outside of the states of Texas and California, Michael Carter is a virtual unknown champion of America’s sporting past.