The New York Giants‘ third overall pick in this past April’s draft has had a rough start to his NFL career, to say the least.
Abdul Carter hasn’t been as productive as some thought he would be coming out of Penn State, and his behavior off the field hasn’t done him any favors either.
The rookie has been benched twice over the Giants‘ last three games, with both punishments stemming from tardiness or complete absences from mandatory team events, something that has plagued Carter since Brian Daboll was still the team’s head coach.
While his Giants teammates have done their best to mentor the first-year player, their messages have seemingly fallen on deaf ears.
But what about one from a franchise legend? One that Carter requested to have his number unretired over the summer so he could wear it?
Lawrence Taylor Tells Abdul Carter to ‘Wake Up’
Lawrence Taylor, the greatest New York Giant in team history, took it upon himself to send a message to Carter amid his troubling rookie season.
“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 told the New York Post’s Steve Serby.
“Don’t let your teammates down over bull[expletive]! If you can’t tell your coach what’s going on and why you can’t be at practice, then it’s bull[expletive].”
The Hall of Famer went on to talk about respecting the veterans during his own rookie season in 1981, which could be argued as one of the all-time great years by any player in NFL history.
In LT’s first professional season, he racked up 9.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and one interception, bringing home both the Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Year awards.
“No one respected the team more than I did as a rookie. Harry Carson, Brad Van Pelt, Brian Kelley. Those guys were my mentors, and I’m not gonna let them down.”
LT Urges Giants Veterans to Help Abdul Carter
Carter wasn’t the only New York Giants player to catch some heat from Taylor.
The former league MVP urged veterans Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns to step up, and get in the ear of the Penn State rookie.
“Those two guys need to talk to No. 51 and get him straight and say, ‘Hey, you gotta get your priorities right.’ Simple as that. I don’t know what else to say to him. But he’s gotta get his priorities right,” Taylor continued.
“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.”
For a player who was selected third overall in the NFL draft, the Giants’ brass were surely expecting a lot more from their rookie edge rusher on and off the field.
But Taylor didn’t just want to rip Carter; he pleaded with the former Nittany Lion to clean up his act, because LT knows he’s capable of so much more.
“He’s just gotta get his stuff together. 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.”
If Taylor’s message can’t resonate with Carter over New York’s final four games, then who knows what will.
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