After Being Benched For Oversleeping, Abdul Carter Says He’s Learned His Lesson

The third overall pick in the draft has had an eventful year off the field. Last Monday night, the Giants elected to bench Abdul Carter for the first two Patriots possessions. This decision contributed to an early 17–0 deficit. The team said the benching stemmed from Carter missing a walkthrough. They believed he overslept, while Carter maintains he was receiving “treatment.”

This wasn’t his first off-field issue that affected his playing time. He was also suspended for the opening drive of the Giants’ November 16 game against the Packers. These incidents have become a setback for an already struggling team. Carter is a clear difference-maker on the defensive front, even recording a sack on Drake Maye in his first possession against New England on Monday.

“S— happens,” Carter said when asked about the latest benching. “I’m not going to get into details. S— happens.” This marks the second time in three games he’s been disciplined for behavior-related issues, and it’s evident that his absences are costing the team opportunities to win. “Like I said, I have to be better. I have to take pride in what I do, be where I have to be at. Simple as that.”

“I think it got through,” offensive coordinator Mike Kafka said of the disciplinary move. The belief is that this time, the message resonated — not only with Carter, but with the rest of the team. The goal of the recent suspensions has been to reinforce accountability. Before the Packers game, Carter described his discipline as simply a “coach’s decision.”

Kafka also emphasized Carter’s importance on the field. “Listen, when he came back in the game, you saw the kind of impact he had and the player this guy is,” he said. The Giants now sit at the bottom of their division with just two wins and a franchise-record 13 consecutive road losses dating back to last season.

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Article by Carl Lively