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.
Bruh was watching some pron during a team meeting
Lol
smh can’t believe they punished a young player for studying game tape to improve his technique.
Where did you see that? Or did I miss something?
The widely circulated story is that he was caught watching p*rn in a team meeting when his headphones disconnected. So he was studying film in his own way.
Flexibility to bend around big tackles, of course
Wow, it’s almost like the severe punishment of a whole quarter off isn’t getting through to him. Can’t imagine why.
Goodell set the benchmark for ineffective discipline so this is just an extension of that at the coaching level. Back in the day a true disciplinarian like Vince Lombardi would just cut the guy before his bad attitude affected the rest of the lockerroom.
They get more money and more leeway which produces more excuses and repeat issues. It’s not rocket science.
Yep…and we know what happens when you let the inmates run the asylum 🙂
This guy already looks like a future bust.
I’d take the other end of that bet.
😂
Rookies do stuff like this. Give the kid time.
Did the Lions kid….did the 49ers (Bosa)…how about his Idol formerly of Dallas now in Green Bay…after the Thibs miss Schoen went for the hype instead of substance once again….fire him please..
Watching Carter last night….time and time again totally handled by the Pats offensive line regardless of who…how about his idol in Green Bay…totally ineffective…he needs more strength to succeed at this level..this ain’t college fatties anymore Carter….