NFL news: Giants' Abdul Carter responds to reports of benching for sleeping during meeting

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Abdul Carter He got a rude awakening on Sunday when the New York Giants pulled him from the game on their first defensive series against the Green Bay Packers.

Interim head coach Mike Kafka said it was the coach's decision, prompting speculation about a possible punishment. Kafka added that he wanted to “just keep everything else inside me,” and Carter himself told reporters that he did something wrong a week before the game.

Of course, according to multiple reports, it turns out that this was indeed a punishment for missing a team walkthrough while sleeping at the team facility.

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New York Giants linebacker Abdul Carter prepares to play during the game between the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, November 2, 2025. (Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Athletic also reported that Carter was “late for meetings” and former head coach Brian Daboll was letting it “slip away.” Daboll was fired last week after the Giants blew their third double-digit fourth-quarter lead of the season.

Carter, however, denied the reports on Tuesday. The rookie said he made an “honest mistake” in not realizing the change in normal practice times after Kafka was named interim head coach, so he received treatment instead. However, he claimed that he did not sleep.

“My mistake was an honest mistake,” Carter said. ESPN on Tuesday. “I accept the fact that it was an honest mistake. I received treatment and told Coach Kafka about it. But to say that I was asleep at that time would not be true. And it wasn't a trend either. That was the only time that happened.”

Carter was the third overall pick by Penn State in April of this year, but he quickly drew the ire of the Big Blue faithful when he asked Lawrence Taylor if he could wear his famous number 56 – LT refused.

Abdul Carter raises his hand during the game

New York Giants linebacker Abdul Carter (51) reacts during the first half against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. (Rich Barnes/Imagn Images)

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Carter then asked Phil Simms for permission to wear number 11, the same number he wore at Penn State and the Nittany Lions' badge of honor. Simms agreed, but his family was not on board and Carter's wishes were ultimately denied. He eventually settled in 51st place.

To make matters worse, Carter has just one half-sack in 11 games. However, his 17% pass rush win percentage is 16th best in the league, one spot behind teammate Brian Burns, who has 13 of the Giants' 22 sacks. Burns' 13 sacks trail league leader Myles Garrett by two.

This suggests that Carter is at risk of a market correction, but it's clear that he needs to start posting real stats soon before he remains on the bad side of the fans.