Abdul Carter Benched Again: Giants Rookie Facing Early Career Wake-Up Call
Abdul Carter’s NFL journey is hitting some early turbulence. The Giants’ first-round pick - taken third overall out of Penn State - was benched to start Monday night’s 33-15 loss to the Patriots, marking the second time in three games that the rookie linebacker has been disciplined for breaking team rules.
This time, Carter sat out the first quarter, missing New England’s opening two drives. By the time he stepped on the field, the Giants were already in a 17-0 hole, and the damage was done.
The team hasn’t gone into detail about the nature of the violation. Interim head coach Mike Kafka kept it short, saying only, “It was my decision.”
Carter, for his part, didn’t offer much more clarity: “S*** happens,” he said postgame. “I’m not going to get into details.”
But reports indicate Carter missed all or part of a team responsibility, with ESPN specifically citing tardiness as the issue. And unfortunately, that’s not a new storyline for the 22-year-old. Tardiness has been a recurring problem during his rookie campaign, and it’s clearly wearing thin in the Giants’ locker room.
“I let my team down,” Carter admitted after the game. “I take responsibility for that. I have to do better.”
Carter acknowledged the adjustment to life in the pros has been a challenge, but he stopped short of using that as an excuse. “I guess you can say that,” he said.
“But I’m not going to use that as an excuse. I have to be better.
I have to take pride in what I do, be where I have to be at. Simple as that.”
That kind of accountability is a step in the right direction, but it’s clear that some of the veterans are ready to see more follow-through.
Dexter Lawrence II, one of the Giants’ most respected voices in the locker room, didn’t sugarcoat his frustration with the situation. “Just grow up,” he said when asked about Carter. “You got to stay on [young players], and you got to help them learn from these mistakes.”
Lawrence wasn’t speaking from a pedestal - he acknowledged he’s been there, too. “We all made them.
We’ve all been late. We’ve all had moments like that.
But you just got to learn from them. You got to be a pro and know where you got to be and when you got to be there.”
This isn’t the first time Carter has found himself in hot water. He was also benched for the opening drive against the Packers last month after missing a team walk-through. That incident stemmed from Carter reportedly being in a therapy bed during the session - a recovery routine, he claimed, not a nap.
At the time, Carter owned up to that misstep as well. “I made a mistake during the week that was detrimental to the team,” he said.
“I already know that whatever I do is going to have consequences. That was the consequence, have to live with it, keep playing.”
There’s no question Carter has the talent. He was drafted third overall for a reason - a physically gifted, high-motor linebacker who can be a game-changer when he’s locked in.
But the NFL doesn’t wait for anyone to figure it out. And right now, the Giants need more than flashes.
They need consistency, maturity, and accountability - especially from the young players expected to be foundational pieces.
Carter seems to understand that. The question now is whether he can turn that understanding into action.
Because in this league, talent gets you drafted. But professionalism keeps you on the field.