Mike Minter's New Job
Mike Minter was the all-time leading tackler for the NFL’S Carolina Panthers. Mike’s notable NFL career included nine fumble recoveries, four interception returns for touchdowns, and 421 interception return yards.
During his time in the NFL, Mike endured both the good and bad seasons. The worst, in 2001, took place when the Panthers became the first team in history to lose 15 games in a row. Unaccustomed to failure, dealing with such disappointment was difficult for Mike.
“You deal with the failure the same way you deal with success,” says Mike. “You can’t let yourself get too low.”
Two years later, the Panthers had a shot at the Super Bowl but lost to the New England Patriots. In 2007 after 10 years, Mike retired from the Panthers.
Mike was born in Cleveland, OH, but grew up in Lawton, OK in a Christian home. As a third grader, Mike always knew he wanted to play for the University of Nebraska.
“How does a kid in Oklahoma grow up wanting to play at Nebraska?” says Mike. [Oklahoma and Nebraska are Big 12 competitors.]
Growing up, life wasn’t always easy. Mike’s dad died when he was an infant and his mother was left to take care of his two older sisters and younger brother.
“We grew up poor, and I know how growing up without a father affected me,” says Mike.
In high school, Mike got seriously injured in the 10th grade and football, which had become his god, was taken away. As he laid on his back that night injured on the football field, Mike asked himself, “Is this what life is all about? What can you put your trust in that can’t be taken away?”
After that, Mike went on a quest to find out the meaning of life. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes had a strong presence on their school campus, and Mike started attending Bible study.
Mike tried to make a deal with God, “I’ll go to the Bible study if you heal me and put me back on the football field,” he said.
Mike says today that even though he went into the Bible study with the wrong motives, God still used that time to plant seeds in his heart.
“I learned about Jesus, who He was and why He came here,” says Mike.
He began to understand that God did all the work.
“I had a new outlook on life,” says Mike. “I learned there were two teams: God’s team and satan’s team. God’s team never loses.”
So one night, Mike knelt beside his bed and told God he wanted to be on His team.
“At that moment, God put me on His roster…one I could never be too old for and one I could never be cut from,” says Mike
MIKE MINTER: THE BUSINESSMAN AND PHILANTHROPIST
Mike always dreamed of playing football and running his own company. Both dreams have come true. Today, Mike is CEO of Minter Enterprises, the umbrella corporation for several of Mike’s endeavors, including business and not-for-profit organizations. One endeavor is with his Oklahoma Land Management company which launched a 600-home affordable housing project and included an extreme makeover of an entire community. The Ruckus House Learning Center provides faith-based childcare, skill development, and learning for children six weeks to 12 years. A second Ruckus House is planned with plans for additional centers to open around the country.
Mike’s newest project includes a publishing company and Minter Consulting, a consulting firm that offers services in finance, business management, marketing and motivation to entrepreneurs and corporations who are ready to take their business to the next level.
Mike is also heavily involved in local charities and knows the importance of giving back to others. The Ruckus House Foundation recently gave two $5,000 scholarships to students entering the field of education.
“God has given you something to give back, and it might be hundreds of thousands of dollars, or it might be a dollar, it doesn’t matter. It’s just what comes out of the heart,” he says.
Mike feels that investing quality time in young people, creating positive environments, and nurturing their aspirations will encourage them to never give up.