The New York Giants obtained reward for a robust first spherical of the 2025 NFL draft. The Giants landed Penn State star Abdul Carter with the No. three decide earlier than buying and selling again into Spherical 1 to take quarterback Jaxson Dart twenty fifth total. Carter has not been shy about expressing his need to be the following nice Giants defender. He’s additionally not been shy about asking Giants legends if he can put on their retired quantity.
Carter requested Phil Simms if he might put on No. 11, which was retired by the crew in 1995. Whereas Simms says he was open to permitting the younger defensive finish to make use of his quantity, he was in the end “outvoted by his household,” in line with ProFootballTalk on X.
Whether or not Simms’ household truly shut the concept down or if the Tremendous Bowl-winning quarterback is simply utilizing that as a smokescreen to keep away from coming off because the dangerous man, Carter received his reply. No. 11 will stay retired, because it ought to.
Giants’ high draft decide Abdul Carter received’t put on Phil Simms’ No. 11
A rookie getting into the NFL asking to put on a franchise legend’s retired quantity earlier than even taking a single snap on the professional stage is, maybe, a bit off-putting. However in Carter’s case, he didn’t simply inquire about one retired quantity. He had feelers out for 2.
Along with Simms’ quantity 11, Carter expressed curiosity in carrying Lawrence Taylor’s iconic quantity 56, which was retired by the Giants in 1994. He reached out to the Corridor of Famer and was promptly denied.
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LT was not thinking about permitting his quantity for use by Carter. The Giants legend, often known as the best defensive participant within the historical past of soccer, instructed that the gifted, younger DE “Get one other quantity… after which make it well-known.”
After trying to un-retire two numbers in his first week as a member of the Giants, Carter was blasted for his brazenness. New York sports activities speak veteran Mike Francesa didn’t like the concept of the rookie placing himself in the identical dialog as Taylor by trying to put on his quantity.
Francesa thought-about the request “brazen, obnoxious and one of many dumbest issues I’ve ever heard a extremely prized recruit do.” Whereas that sentiment is shared by many, it’s additionally attainable that the jersey quantity requests had been simply Carter’s approach of connecting with the Giants’ fanbase.
Carter clearly aspires to turn out to be the following Giants nice. He has the skillset to make that occur. Perhaps he thought carrying a retired quantity would assist join the franchise’s proud previous to its promising current.
Nevertheless harmless the request might have been, some followers felt it was a self-serving shortcut to a standing he has but to earn. Both approach, Carter will now decide his personal quantity and go about making it legendary.