Lawrence Taylor Sends a Wake-Up Call to Giants Rookie Abdul Carter: “Get Your Stuff Together”
When a legend like Lawrence Taylor speaks, it’s usually worth listening. And this week, the Hall of Fame linebacker had a clear, no-nonsense message for Giants rookie Abdul Carter: it’s time to grow up and lock in.
Carter, the No. 3 overall pick in April’s draft, was brought to New York with sky-high expectations. A dominant force at Penn State, he entered the league as a unanimous All-American and the reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. But through his first season, the headlines surrounding Carter have been more about discipline issues than game-changing plays - and Taylor isn’t having it.
“Wake up,” Taylor said bluntly. “This is what you worked for, this is where you want to be, so now you're there... Let’s wake up.”
Carter has already been benched twice this season for disciplinary reasons - once in the Giants’ 33-15 loss to the Patriots and earlier in the year against the Packers. The infractions?
Tardiness and other off-field issues that have raised red flags inside the building. For a rookie with a top-three draft pedigree, that’s not just disappointing - it’s concerning.
On the field, Carter’s production hasn’t matched his potential. Through this point in the season, he’s totaled just 31 combined tackles and 1.5 sacks - numbers that fall well short of what you’d expect from a player drafted to be a cornerstone of the defense.
Taylor, never one to sugarcoat things, made it clear that Carter’s issues go beyond stats.
“Don't let your teammates down over bulls-t,” Taylor said. “If you can’t tell your coach what's going on and why you can't be at practice, then it's bulls--t.”
It’s a message rooted in accountability - something Taylor knows a thing or two about. He emphasized that while veterans in the locker room can help guide Carter, ultimately, it’s on the rookie to take ownership of his career.
“I don't know what else to say to him. But he's gotta get his priorities right,” Taylor continued. “There's no reason not to hustle, there's no reason not to be at practice, there's no reason not to play your ass off when you're out there if you're trying to make a name for yourself, as I was.”
Taylor didn’t stop there. He pointed to the weight of expectations that come with being the third overall pick - especially in a market like New York - and the responsibility that comes with that kind of investment.
“If his teammates are having a problem, then you got a problem. If the coaches are having a problem, then you got a problem,” he said.
“You were the third pick in the whole draft. You're supposed to be better than this.”
The message is clear: talent only takes you so far. In the NFL, especially in a city like New York, consistency, accountability, and professionalism matter just as much as raw ability.
Carter has shown he can dominate - he did it at Penn State and nearly became the top overall pick because of it. But so far, he hasn’t brought that same energy to the pros.
Taylor, who made his name by redefining the linebacker position and setting the standard for defensive excellence, sees the potential in Carter - but also the danger in letting it go to waste.
“He’s just gotta get his stuff together,” Taylor said. “And if he gets his stuff together, New York will love him... You make history on what you do on that field, not off that field.”
At just 22 years old, Carter still has time to right the ship. But the clock is ticking.
The Giants bet big on him, and so far, the return hasn’t matched the investment. If he’s going to live up to the hype - and avoid being remembered as a cautionary tale - the turnaround has to start now.
Lawrence Taylor’s words weren’t just tough love. They were a challenge. And how Abdul Carter responds could define the next chapter of his young career.