There are several reasons why some New York Giants fans criticized Abdul Carter during his rookie season, and it wasn’t just because of the Lawrence Taylor No. 56 conversation.
While that became the biggest headline, a series of reports and offseason moments caused some fans to question whether the rookie was putting too much attention on everything outside of football before proving himself on the field.
During a recent episode of the Bleed Big Blue Podcast, my co-host made the point that Abdul Carter needed to “relax” a little, and I found myself agreeing with him. Some Giants fans pushed back on that take, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized the criticism was never about Carter’s talent. It was about how some of his early actions, and the perception surrounding them, rubbed portions of the fan base the wrong way.
The truth is, I was excited when the Giants drafted Abdul Carter.
If you’ve followed Bleed Big Blue for any length of time, you know I’ve always gravitated toward defensive players. Growing up as a Giants fan, defense was the identity of the franchise. From Lawrence Taylor to Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, and so many others, that’s the brand of football I grew up loving.
That’s why I was thrilled when the Giants selected Carter. He has all the physical tools to become a cornerstone of this defense for years to come.
My Perspective
As someone who has watched the Giants for decades, I understand that today’s NFL is different. Players build their personal brands and connect with fans in ways previous generations never did. I don’t have a problem with that. My concern has always been about making sure the focus stays on football first, especially when you’re trying to establish yourself with one of the league’s most storied franchises.
That’s one of the reasons I was so excited when John Harbaugh arrived. One of the first things he talked about was accountability, and after the way the previous regime ended, I think that’s exactly what this football team needed.
It Was Never About Abdul Carter’s Ability
My issue has never been with Abdul Carter as a football player. I think he has the talent to become one of the best edge rushers in the NFL. What rubbed me the wrong way was how quickly the conversation turned to Lawrence Taylor’s legendary No. 56 jersey before Carter had even played a regular-season snap for the Giants.
To me, it just felt premature.
Lawrence Taylor isn’t simply another Giants legend. He’s arguably the greatest defensive player in NFL history and someone who helped define what Giants football means. When you’re talking about that kind of legacy, I believe you earn the right to be mentioned alongside it by what you accomplish on the field.
That’s why I agreed with Tim’s point that Carter needed to slow things down and let his play speak for itself.
It Wasn’t Just About the Number
Looking back, I don’t think the jersey conversation was the only thing that bothered some Giants fans.
Early in the year, reports circulated that Carter had fallen asleep during a team walk-through and missed meetings while Brian Daboll was still the head coach. Carter strongly denied those reports, and after Daboll was fired, it appeared there may have been more context surrounding the situation than was initially reported.
Later in the season, however, additional reporting suggested that being late to team meetings had become a recurring issue. According to The Athletic, Carter was repeatedly late to meetings during his rookie season. The report stated that while Daboll often let those incidents slide, the coaching staff under interim head coach Mike Kafka began holding players more accountable. Carter was reportedly disciplined for repeated violations and was even benched to start multiple games.
Whether every report was entirely accurate or not, the perception among some Giants fans had already started to change. Fair or unfair, those stories contributed to the belief that Carter needed to mature as a professional.
The Offseason Noise Didn’t Help
The other thing that stood out to me was seeing Carter making media appearances, including appearing on Micah Parsons’ podcast. Again, there’s nothing wrong with building your brand. Malik Nabers has done the same thing this offseason, and plenty of NFL players appear on podcasts or create content away from football.
For me, it comes down to timing. The Giants were coming off another disappointing season and trying to establish a new culture. Fans wanted to see players locked in and focused on winning football games.
That’s where my frustration came from.
Why It Frustrated Me
When you put everything together, you can understand why some fans became frustrated.
First, there was the conversation about Lawrence Taylor’s number. Then came the media appearances. After that came reports about meetings and accountability. Individually, none of those things are a major issue.
Combined, however, they created the perception that Carter was doing a little too much before proving himself on the field. That’s why I agreed with my co-host’s point that Carter needed to relax a little and let his play do the talking. It was never because I questioned his talent. Quite the opposite.
I think Abdul Carter has the potential to become one of the faces of this franchise.
Winning Changes Everything
The funny thing about the NFL is that winning changes everything.
If Carter comes out this season, records double-digit sacks, forces turnovers, and helps lead the Giants back to the playoffs, nobody is going to care about offseason storylines.
Fans forgive almost everything when players perform on Sundays.
That’s why I’ve never been worried about whether Carter can talk the talk. I’m interested in whether he can back it up.
My Take
At the end of the day, I don’t dislike Abdul Carter. I’m actually rooting for him because I think he can become a special player. My criticism has always come from a place of wanting to see the Giants get back to playing disciplined, physical football. Under John Harbaugh, accountability is expected, and I think that’s exactly what this team has been missing.
As Giants fans, we’ve been spoiled by watching legends lead dominant defenses. Those players earned the respect they received by producing on the field.
I hope Abdul Carter does the same.
Because if he does, this entire conversation becomes nothing more than an interesting footnote at the beginning of what could be a tremendous career. And believe me, nothing would make me happier than looking back at this conversation a few years from now and saying we were worried early, but Abdul Carter proved us wrong.
At the end of the day, that’s all any Giants fan should want. If Abdul Carter develops into the dominant pass rusher many believe he can become, this entire discussion will be forgotten.
And honestly, I hope that’s exactly what happens.
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