Giants rookie Abdul Carter keeps getting benched for tardiness, and Carl Banks is fed up
PublishedDecember 2, 2025 9:59 PM EST•UpdatedDecember 2, 2025 9:59 PM EST
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Last time Carl Banks teed off on a New York Giants rookie, he ended up being completely right.
Now he’s ripping into Abdul Carter, and after just 13 games, the Giants’ top pick is already becoming a headache.
Carter has been dealing with ongoing tardiness issues, which have resulted in two benchings in three weeks.
READ: Former Giants All-Pro Carl Banks Tells Deonte Banks To Cool It With The Social Media Rants
In Week 11, Carter missed the opening defensive series against the Packers after showing up late to walkthroughs.
Fast forward to Week 13. Carter missed the entire first quarter of Monday Night Football against the Patriots, giving Giants fans yet another reason to roll their eyes at Joe Schoen’s 2025 first rounder, whose debut season is off to a choppy and increasingly bleak start.
Edge Rusher Abdul Carter of Penn State poses after being selected third overall pick by the New York Giants during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field on April 24, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Banks didn’t sugarcoat his thoughts: Carter needs to take accountability quickly as the third overall pick or go kick rocks.
Speaking on WFAN, Banks delivered the rookie a dose of reality.
“It’s time for the kid to grow up,” Banks said.
Carter’s production hasn’t helped his case.
With only 1.5 sacks, fan patience is wearing thin, especially for a player who once requested Lawrence Taylor’s iconic No. 56. Thankfully, LT shut that down. Banks kept the pressure on.
“I don’t advocate teammates fighting with each other, but it just seems like if we’re just finding this out now, this has got to have been a pattern going on all year. You got to care enough.”
Monday night’s 33-15 loss to the Patriots highlighted the dysfunction surrounding the team. It was part reminder of a rejuvenated New England squad and part comedy of errors from the Giants.
BILL PARCELLS , LAWRENCE TAYLOR, CARL BANKS. (Photo by Rich Pilling/Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images)
From special teams mishaps to benching their rookie, the G-Men made a strong case for having the worst situation in the league.
“And that’s losing football,” Banks continued, “That’s a losing locker room. When you have these types of things, and you don’t care enough to be engaged, and you have to be disciplined twice, how many other times has this happened and they just kind of overlooked it?”
Both interim head coach Mike Kafka and general manager Joe Schoen are under fire for letting Carter’s behavior spiral. After Brian Daboll was fired, the excuses dried up, and now fans are calling for Schoen to be next.
If you’re a Giants defender, and especially a rookie, the last place you want to be is on Carl Banks’ bad side. He previously called out former first rounder Deonte Banks, and he was right about him too. The corner is now mostly relegated to special teams work.
It’s starting to feel like one wasted draft pick after another for the Giants.
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