New York Giants rookie edge rusher Abdul Carter took to social media to respond to reports that he was benched for the first series of Sunday’s 27-20 loss against the Green Bay Packers after sleeping through a team meeting.
Carter called out the “hate” and “lies” he felt he’s received in the wake of the reports:
Giants interim head coach Mike Kafka told reporters after Sunday’s loss that Carter’s benching was a coach’s decision and didn’t explain further, simply saying, “It was my decision, we’ll keep the rest of that in-house.”
However, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan reported on Monday that Carter missed a walk-through because he was asleep at the team’s facility at the time, which resulted in his benching for the opening series against the Packers.
Carter disputed that report:
Duggan further reported that Carter’s lateness to meetings was a “trend” that former head coach Brian Daboll didn’t address.
When asked about the situation after the game, Carter didn’t reveal many details, telling reporters that he made a mistake and that he knew his actions would have consequences.
Carter played every other defensive snap for the Giants following the first series, finishing the game with one tackle and one quarterback hit. The 2025 No. 3 pick has yet to record a full sack this season.
New York is certainly hoping to get more out of Carter going forward, so this situation should serve as a wake-up call. The 22-year-old will try to help the Giants (2-9) end their five-game losing streak when they meet the Detroit Lions (6-4) next Sunday.
