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Abdul Carter received a rude awakening Sunday when the New York Giants sidelined him for their first defensive series against the Green Bay Packers.
Interim head coach Mike Kafka said it was a coach’s decision, sparking speculation about a possible sanction. Kafka added that he wanted to “keep the rest in-house”, and Carter himself told reporters that he had done something wrong in the week leading up to the match.
Sure enough, it turns out that it was indeed punishment for missing a team tour while sleeping at the team facility, according to multiple reports.
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New York Giants linebacker Abdul Carter prepares for a game against the San Francisco 49ers at MetLife Stadium on November 2, 2025. (Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
The Athletic also reported that Carter was “late for meetings” and that former head coach Brian Daboll was letting things “slide.” Daboll was fired last week after the Giants blew their third double-digit lead in the fourth quarter of the season.
Carter, however, denied the reports on Tuesday. The rookie said he made an “honest mistake” by not realizing a change in normal training schedules after Kafka was named interim head coach, so he was treated instead. However, he claimed he was not sleeping.
“My mistake was an honest mistake,” Carter told ESPN on Tuesday. “I admit it was an honest mistake. I was going through treatment and I told Coach Kafka that too. But to say I was sleeping at that time just wasn’t true. And it wasn’t a pattern either. That was the only time it happened.”
Carter was the third overall pick out of Penn State last April, but he quickly drew the ire of the Big Blue faithful when he asked Lawrence Taylor if he could wear his famous number 56 – LT refused.
New York Giants linebacker Abdul Carter reacts during a play against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. (Rich Barnes/Imagn Images)
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Carter then asked permission from Phil Simms to wear number 11, the same number he wore at Penn State and a badge of honor for the Nittany Lions. Simms agreed, but his family disagreed and ultimately, Carter’s wish was denied. He finally opted for No. 51.
To make matters worse, in 11 games, Carter only had one half-sack. However, his 17% win rate is the 16th-best mark in the league, one spot behind teammate Brian Burns, who has 13 of the Giants’ 22 total sacks. Burns’ 13 sacks are two behind Myles Garrett for the league lead.
This shows that a market correction is in play for Carter, but it’s becoming clear that he needs to start releasing real stats quickly before he stays on the fans’ bad side.
New York Giants first round draft picks Abdul Carter and Jaxson Dart pose for photos before the start of a press conference. (Thomas Salus/Imagn Images)
With Jameis Winston at the helm due to Jaxson Dart’s concussion, New York fell to the Packers, 27-20, to improve to 2-9 on the season.
