Giants star benched for second time in three weeks amid troubling behavioral issues

Dec 2, 2025 - 02:45

The third overall pick once again started the game on the bench.

Abdul Carter has all the talent in the world, but he has struggled both on and off the field during his rookie year with the Giants.

bdul Carter #51 of the New York Giants walks to the tunnel during an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers — Carter had high expectations going into the year

On Monday Night Football against the Patriots, Carter found himself on the sideline for the opening possession.

It was the second time in three weeks that Carter appeared to be benched on the opening series under interim head coach Mike Kafka.

Carter was benched for the opening drive two weeks ago against the Green Bay Packers when he skipped a walkthrough. The Giants believed he had overslept, while Carter insisted he was receiving treatment at the time.

Kafka issued the benching to reinforce accountability, later describing it as a “coach’s decision” following the loss to the Packers.

“I made a mistake during the week that was detrimental to the team,” Carter said after that incident. “That was the consequence of it. Got to live with it.”

It appears Carter has once again had to face the consequences of his actions, as a troubling pattern of immature behavior continues to follow the 22-year-old rookie.

More to come…

Abdul Carter #51 of the New York Giants warms up against the San Francisco 49ers — Carter has had growing pains in his first year as a pro

Abdul Carter #51 of the New York Giants celebrates an interception against the San Francisco 49ers — While Carter has shown flashes of his talent, he still has a long way to go

Stay up to date with the latest from the NFL across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for all the news, exclusives, interviews and more