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Abdul Carter gave it a shot, figuring he had nothing to lose.
Sure, Lawrence Taylor’s No. 56 is retired by the New York Giants and is one of the most revered jersey numbers in franchise history. But Carter, the third overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday night, idolizes Taylor and wanted to see if he’d be cool with him going after quarterbacks all these years later while wearing that familiar number.
Well, L.T. sacked those dreams quickly.
Taylor heard of Carter’s request and, while honored, thinks the former Penn State pass rusher needs to do a number on opposing offenses in something other than No. 56.
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“He has to be the player that he is,” Taylor told ESPN. “He can’t be another Lawrence Taylor. Well, he may be better than a Lawrence Taylor. Who knows? But he has to make his mark. It’s up to him.”
Carter wore No. 11 at Penn State — but that number is also retired by the Giants in honor of quarterback Phil Simms.
[MORE: He’s not a QB but Abdul Carter is the franchise player the Giants need]
Carter posted a photo on social media during his pre-draft visit at the Giants’ facility a few weeks ago of a picture of Taylor hanging in the hall and spoke after he was selected about how he often watches YouTube videos of the Pro Football Hall of Famer, who’s considered one of the most dominant defensive players in NFL history.
“The worst thing he could say was NO!!” Carter posted on X late Friday night. “My stance don’t change, LT is the (goat emoji). nothing but respect… This just gonna make me work even harder!! I love it.”
Carter led the country with 23.5 tackles for loss and had 12 sacks last season for Penn State. He bolsters a Giants defense that already has solid pass rushers in Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns and a strong D-line that includes Pro Bowler Dexter Lawrence.
“Adding me to that group, it’s going to be dope,” Carter said after he was drafted. “It’s going to be the most dominant group.”
Taylor can appreciate that, and he’s rooting for Carter — just in a different number than 56.
“I know he would love to wear that number, but hey, I think it’s retired,” Taylor told the New York Post. “Get another number, I don’t care if it’s double zero, and then make it famous.”
There is some precedent for Giants players to wear retired numbers. Wide receiver Malik Nabers, New York’s first-rounder last year, requested to wear No. 1 — which was worn by Pro Football Hall of Famer Ray Flaherty in the 1930s. Flaherty’s family gave Nabers permission to wear his number.
Cam Ward, the first overall pick by Tennessee on Thursday night, received a surprise the next day when Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Moon showed up for his introductory news conference and gave him permission to wear his retired No. 1.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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