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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, prompting speculation about a potential punishment. Kafka added he wanted to “just keep the rest of that in-house,” and Carter himself told reporters that he had done something wrong in the week leading up to the game.
Sure enough, it turns out it was indeed a punishment for missing a team walkthrough while sleeping at the team facility, according to multiple reports.
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New York Giants linebacker Abdul Carter gets ready for a play during a game between the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. (Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
The Athletic also reported that Carter has been “late to meetings,” and former head coach Brian Daboll was letting it “slide.” Daboll was fired last week after the Giants blew their third double-digit, fourth-quarter lead of the season.
Carter, though, denied those reports on Tuesday. The rookie said he made an “honest mistake” in not realizing a change in the normal practice times following Kafka being tabbed as interim head coach, so he was getting treatment instead. He claimed, though, that he was not asleep.
“My mistake was an honest mistake,” Carter told ESPN on Tuesday. “I own the fact that it was an honest mistake. I was getting treatment and I told Coach Kafka that, too. But to say I was sleeping at that time just wasn’t true. And it also wasn’t a trend. This was the only time it happened.”
Carter was the third overall pick out of Penn State this past April, but he quickly drew the ire of the Big Blue faithful when he asked Lawrence Taylor if he could wear his famed No. 56 – L.T. declined.
New York Giants linebacker Abdul Carter (51) reacts to a play against the New York Jets during the first half at MetLife Stadium. (Rich Barnes/Imagn Images)
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Carter then sought permission from Phil Simms to wear No. 11, the same number he wore at Penn State and a badge of honor for the Nittany Lions. Simms obliged, but his family was not on board, and ultimately, Carter’s wish was denied. He eventually settled on No. 51.
To make matters worse, in 11 games, Carter has just one half-sack. However, his 17% pass-rush 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.
That goes to show that a market correction is in play for Carter, but it’s becoming apparent he needs to start posting actual statistics fast before he stays on fans’ bad side.
New York Giants first round draft picks, Abdul Carter and Jaxson Dart pose for photos prior to the start of the press conference. (Thomas Salus/Imagn Images)
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With Jameis Winston at the helm due to Jaxson Dart’s concussion, New York fell to the Packers, 27-20, to move to 2-9 on the season.
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