Abdul Carter, the New York Giants’ No. 3 overall pick at the 2025 NFL Draft, is likely going to make quite a name for himself given his projections as a devastating pass rusher.
Now, if he can only find a uniform number to go with that name.
Carter requested that Giants legends Lawrence Taylor and Phil Simms unretire their uniform numbers, but both were rejected.
The 21-year-old first approached Taylor’s camp for his famed No. 56, which has not been worn since the linebacker’s Hall-of-Fame career, and he is considered by many to be the greatest defensive force in NFL history, ended in 1993.
“I know he would love to wear that number,” Taylor told the New York Post. “But, hey, I think it’s retired. Get another number. I don’t care if it’s double zero, and then make it famous.”
“The worst thing he could say was NO!!” Carter posted on X. “My stance don’t change, LT is the [greatest of all-time] nothing but respect… This just gonna make me work even harder!! I love it.”
Simms was a bit more willing to give up his No. 11, which he made famous by quarterbacking the Giants to a Super Bowl XXI victory, and helping them get back there again four years later. He ranks second in every one of the Giants’ major passing categories behind Eli Manning.
“I told some of my friends and people around me, I said. ‘I’d let him have it in a second,'” Simms said last week (h/t X). “I said, ‘Can you just help it a little and make it better, or whatever?’ I think it would be a lot of fun. It wouldn’t bother me.
“If they really want it — but, my wife, I don’t know if my family’s said anything. The boys didn’t say anything. But my agent, ‘Don’t you dare give up that jersey number!’”
It turns out that Simms was indeed outvoted by his family, per Gary Myers.
Carter wore No. 11 during his sterling collegiate career at Penn State, where he achieved unanimous All-American and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors after posting 24 tackles for loss and 12 sacks.
“Damn at this point imma be out there with just my last name on my jersey, no number,” Carter wrote. “[Just kidding], It’s all Love. Just wanna play Football!”
