Troubling New Details Emerge After New York Giants Benched 3rd-Overall Pick Abdul Carter For The Second Time

This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

The New York Giants have a growing problem with rookie pass rusher Abdul Carter.

Interim coach Mike Kafka benched him for the first quarter on Monday night, the second time he has been benched in two weeks. That pattern has made people inside the team worried and also there were various rumors going on regarding the issue.

Carter was clearly frustrated after the Giants’ 33–15 loss to the Patriots. He said, “I’m not going to get into details. S*** happens.” He also admitted, “Like I said, I have to be better. I have to take pride in what I do, be where I have to be at. Simple as that.”

However, he shared his part in the unusual benchings, though.

Tension Builds Behind the Scenes Regarding Carter

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported that Carter has struggled with tardiness issues throughout the year. Breer wrote that, “The rookie pass rusher has had issues all year with being late and/or missing team obligations. Now fired coach Brian Daboll fined Carter for it on multiple occasions. Interim coach Mike Kafka has been heavier handed with it, with the most recent benching coming after Carter was also sat down for the start of the Giants’ Week 11 game against the Packers.”

Breer also shared a specific example from the Week 11 game against the Packers. “Now, there’s nothing overly nefarious here. The Green Bay benching was triggered by Carter losing track of time—getting red-light therapy in the players lounge while the team started a walkthrough a few steps away on the practice field. Which might be excusable, if it didn’t keep happening. Leaders in that position group, captain Brian Burns primarily among them, have tried to get through to Carter. Coaches, obviously, have too,” he added.

The Giants picked Abdul Carter third overall with big expectations. Through 13 games, he has 31 tackles and 1.5 sacks, but the team hoped he’d make a bigger impact by now. His struggles on the field add pressure as he adjusts to the NFL.

The Giants still believe in his long-term potential and think he has time to improve. For now, Carter needs to fix the issues keeping him off the field. His teammates want him focused, and his coaches want him ready. The message is clear: he must grow fast and stay locked in as the season comes to a close.