New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor had a stern message for Giants rookie Abdul Cater, who has made headlines for the wrong reasons this season.
Carter has been disciplined several times for off-field infractions, including tardiness. He was benched at the start of New York’s recent 33-15 loss to the New England Patriots for disciplinary reasons, and he was also benched at the beginning of the team’s loss to the Green Bay Packers last month.
Lawrence Taylor urges Abdul Carter to 'get his stuff together'
On the field, Carter hasn’t necessarily lived up to his draft selection either. New York selected him with the No. 3 overall pick in the draft in April, but he’s recorded just 31 combined tackles and 1.5 sacks so far this season.
Amid his early struggles, Taylor urged Carter to get his stuff together and stop letting his teammates down.
"Wake up. This is what you worked for, this is where you want to be, so now you're there... Let's wake up,” Taylor said of Carter. "Don't let your teammates down over bulls—t. If you can’t tell your coach what's going on and why you can't be at practice, then it's bulls--t.”
Taylor acknowledged that the veterans on the roster need to get in Carter’s ear, but at the end of the day, his career is his own responsibility, and he needs to hold himself accountable.
“I don't know what else to say to him. But he's gotta get his priorities right," Taylor said. “There's no reason not to hustle, there's no reason not to be at practice, there's no reason not to play your ass off when you're out there if you're trying to make a name for yourself, as I was.
"If his teammates are having a problem, then you got a problem. If the coaches are having a problem, then you got a problem. You were the third pick in the whole draft. You're supposed to be better than this."
Taylor really didn’t hold back, but it’s a message Carter needs to hear. The Penn State product has all the talent in the world. He was a unanimous All-American and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 and was in conversation to be the top overall pick in the draft. But so far in the league, he’s been sabotaging himself.
"He's just gotta get his stuff together," Taylor concluded. "And if he gets his stuff together, New York will love him... You make history on what you do on that field, not off that field."
Carter is just 22 years old, so there’s obviously time for him to turn things around, but after investing so heavily in him, the early returns haven’t been promising for the Giants.