Giants Rookie Abdul Carter Benched Again Amid Disciplinary Questions
Abdul Carter’s rookie season with the New York Giants has taken another curious turn.
The promising young defensive end was notably absent from the Giants’ opening defensive series against the New England Patriots on Monday night. It marked the second time this season Carter has started a game on the bench for disciplinary reasons-raising eyebrows within the organization and among fans.
Earlier this year, Carter was held out of the opening drive against the Green Bay Packers. Reports at the time suggested he had fallen asleep during a team walk-through-an incident that the coaching staff clearly didn’t take lightly. Monday night’s benching, however, came with no official explanation from the team.
That silence opened the door for speculation-and social media wasted no time filling the gap. A post from an account known for parody content went viral after jokingly claiming Carter had been caught watching adult content during a team meeting when his headphones disconnected. The timing of the tweet, which was posted hours before the game and correctly predicted Carter’s absence from the opening drive, only fueled the online frenzy.
The tweet quickly gained traction, racking up over eight million views and spawning a wave of reactions. Some fans took it at face value, others recognized it as satire, but the core question remained: why was Carter benched again?
While there’s no confirmation that the viral claim has any basis in fact, the situation underscores a growing concern around Carter’s early tenure with the Giants. For a rookie trying to carve out a consistent role on a rebuilding defense, multiple disciplinary actions-whatever the reasons-aren’t the kind of headlines you want to be making.
The Giants have invested heavily in developing young talent, and Carter, with his athletic upside and disruptive potential off the edge, is clearly part of that vision. But discipline and professionalism are non-negotiables at the NFL level, especially under a coaching staff that's trying to establish a new culture.
Whether this latest benching was a response to an internal issue or simply a coaching decision remains to be seen. What’s clear is that Carter’s name is now tied to more than just his play on the field-and that’s something both he and the Giants will need to address moving forward.
For now, the rookie’s path to becoming a reliable contributor starts with consistency-not just in performance, but in preparation and accountability.