The Giants held the No. 3 pick in last week’s NFL Draft and chose Penn State’s Abdul Carter, a dominant force at the college level who was a nightmare for opposing offensive lines. He’s expected to find similar success in the NFL—but before even playing a single snap, he stirred up controversy.
Carter was asked what number he planned to wear for the Giants, and he revealed he was considering No. 56—the retired jersey number of Giants legend and NFL Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor. Unsurprisingly, Taylor wasn’t having it.
“Get another number,” Taylor said. “I don’t care if it’s double zero, and then make it famous.”
Taylor, rightfully protective of his legacy, wasn’t going to let Carter casually take his iconic number. Rob Gronkowski echoed that sentiment, mocking Carter for even making the request.
“Was he serious, asking for LT’s number? Yeah, you were a high draft pick, but LT is an absolute legend. The best to do it, one of the best defenders of all time… like, you gotta prove yourself. That’s crazy just asking for LT’s number and I’m glad that LT shut him down like that,” Gronkowski said.
Gronkowski, a legend in his own right, wasn’t shy about calling Carter out—and rightfully so. But Carter didn’t stop there. After striking out with No. 56, he suggested wearing his college number, which also happened to be the retired number of Giants great Phil Simms. The Simms family ultimately voted against allowing Carter to wear it.
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Frustrated, the rookie threatened to take the field without any number at all.
“D**n at this point imma be out there with just my last name on my jersey, no number. Jkjk, It’s all love. Just wanna play Football,” Carter wrote.
As of now, Carter still doesn’t have a jersey number—and after turning it into a bigger issue than it needed to be, he’d be wise to simply pick a new one and focus on proving himself on the field.
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