Abdul Carter’s Rookie Year Hasn’t Gone to Plan - But the Giants’ Young Star Isn’t Backing Down
Nothing about the New York Giants’ 2025 season has gone according to script. At 2-11, they’ve already fired both their head coach and defensive coordinator, and the franchise is staring down another offseason filled with change.
But perhaps the most unexpected twist in a season full of them? The defense - long expected to be the team’s backbone - has been a glaring weakness.
That includes rookie edge rusher Abdul Carter, the No. 3 overall pick out of Penn State, whose arrival was supposed to be a foundational moment for a rebuilding defense. The pick was as safe and obvious as they come - a “chalk” selection in NFL draft terms. But through 13 games, Carter’s rookie year has been anything but smooth.
He’s shown flashes - the kind that remind you why he was taken so high - but consistency has been elusive. And now, discipline issues have crept into the picture. For the second time under interim head coach Mike Kafka, Carter was benched to start a game - this time, sitting out the entire first quarter against the Patriots after reportedly missing a meeting.
Kafka kept the specifics in-house, calling it a “coach’s decision.” But Carter wasn’t hiding from it.
“I’m learning a lot in terms of just being a man, being in the NFL, just going through it,” Carter said after the game. “I’m learning a lot and I’m glad I’m going through it so I can be better prepared in the future.”
That kind of accountability is a good sign. Coaches and teammates have reportedly pulled Carter aside to challenge him to grow up - and instead of pushing back, he’s listening.
“The guys who say that, those are guys I look up to, guys I respect,” he said. “If they say something like that, I’m going to look at myself first, like ‘alright, what am I doing?
How can I get better?’ and prove to them that I can earn their respect and go out and be who I’m supposed to be.”
That maturity will be key, especially as the noise around him grows. Giants legend Carl Banks, a voice that carries serious weight in New York, has been critical of Carter’s early struggles - particularly pointed given that Carter has openly expressed admiration for Banks’ former teammate, the legendary Lawrence Taylor.
Carter didn’t back down from the challenge.
“I would say just what I do on the field after I’ve been through all this adversity, all the controversy,” Carter said. “How do I respond? Do I shy away from it or do I accept the challenge and become better and improve, keep improving and be the man I’m supposed to be?”
And when Carter finally got into the game, he wasted no time showing why the Giants believed in him. He blew up a run play, notched his first official sack, and drew a holding call - all in quick succession. It was a reminder of the raw, game-wrecking potential he brings to the edge.
But that’s the story of Carter’s rookie season in a nutshell: flashes of brilliance, surrounded by inconsistency. He’s been one of the most explosive rookie pass rushers when it comes to his get-off and ability to pressure the quarterback, but he’s still learning how to finish plays and impact the game for four quarters.
In many ways, Carter’s development mirrors the Giants’ season as a whole - moments of promise undone by missed assignments, lack of detail, and mental lapses.
“We hurt ourselves,” Carter said after the Patriots game. “A lot of the plays that happened, the big plays that we gave up, there are things that we didn’t do right, things that we can control, so it’s just doing our job, doing what we’re supposed to do.”
That’s been the theme all year for this defense - not getting beat by superior talent, but by their own breakdowns. And for Carter, that message is starting to hit home.
Now, with a bye week ahead, Carter has a chance to reset and refocus.
“For sure do some self-reflection about some things I can improve on,” he said. “Come back stronger, so after the bye week I can finish the last four weeks of the season strong.”
There’s still time for Carter to end his rookie campaign on a high note - and for the Giants to get a better look at the player they hope will anchor their defense for years to come. The physical tools are undeniable.
The flashes are there. The next step - the one that separates good from great - is consistency, both on and off the field.
If Carter can channel the adversity of this season into growth, the Giants might just come out of this tough year with a cornerstone piece ready to lead the next chapter.