Giants’ Abdul Carter Benched For First Quarter Of Week 13

For the second time in three weeks, Giants interim head coach Mike Kafka publicly disciplined rookie outside linebacker Abdul Carter on Monday. The 22-year-old missed “all or part of a team responsibility,” leading Kafka to bench him for the first quarter against the Patriots, according to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post (Richie O’Leary of On3 first reported the news).

Carter, the third overall pick in this year’s draft, has reportedly had issues with tardiness throughout the season. While head coach Brian Daboll didn’t dole out any known punishment to Carter before his Nov. 10 firing, Kafka hasn’t been as forgiving.

In a Week 11 loss to the Packers, his debut taking over for Daboll, Kafka benched Carter for the Giants’ opening defensive series after he missed a walk-through. A report indicated Carter was absent from the walk-through because he fell asleep at the team’s facility.

Carter vehemently denied he was asleep, per Dunleavy. However, he did admit to “a mistake during the week that was detrimental to the team.” 

Asked why Carter didn’t play in the first quarter on Monday, Kafka told ESPN’s Laura Rutledge it was a“coach’s decision.”

Carter’s one-quarter benching temporarily deprived the Giants of two key pass rushers. They were already without Kayvon Thibodeaux, who missed his third straight game with a shoulder injury.

The Patriots, who stand atop the AFC, jumped out to a 17-0 lead before Carter entered the game. The Pats wound up rolling to a a 33-15 win over the Giants, who fell to 2-11. They’re now 0-3 with Kafka at the controls.

Whether Kafka earns a full-time promotion (which seems doubtful) or the Giants hire someone else as their next head coach, getting through to Carter will be among that individual’s most important tasks. The Giants bet big on Carter after he was a force at Penn State, where he recorded 23.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks in 2024 en route to Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors. The Giants undoubtedly expect him to turn into a franchise cornerstone.

While Carter did pick up four tackles and a sack on Monday, his production with New York has fallen well short of his Penn State output so far. Carter has logged 31 tackles, 13 QB hits, and 1.5 sacks in his first 13 games as a pro. This will go down as a lost season for the Giants, but their chances of a 2026 rebound will improve with better on- and off-field results from Carter.