Let sleeping Giants lie.
Abdul Carter’s benching for the first Giants defensive series Sunday stemmed from his absence at a walk-through last week that he missed while sleeping in the team facility, a source told The Post. The Athletic was first to report the reason that Carter sat the first six defensive snaps before logging the final 45 in a loss to the Packers.
But Carter quickly refuted reports.
“Was not sleep, actually doing recovery,” Carter wrote on X. “Nonetheless that’s on ME!”
It is curious that no teammates, coaches or trainers woke — or fetched — Carter to go out to the field.
But it sounds like it wasn’t a first offense.
Carter has made a habit of running late to responsibilities, including meetings, as a rookie first-round pick, a second source told The Post. Any disciplinary action that he faced from former head coach Brian Daboll was not seen in terms of lost playing time, but interim head coach Mike Kafka took a slightly stronger stance in his first week on the job.
“I made a mistake during the week that was detrimental to the team,” Carter said after the game. “I already know that whatever I do is going to have consequences. That was the consequence, have to live with it, keep playing.”
Abdul Carter runs onto the field before the Giants’ game against the Packers on Nov. 16, 2025. Getty Images
Part of the scouting equation with Carter — as is not uncommon with top prospects — was judging some red flags against the talent.
“Teams are going to be willing to live with some questions about his work ethic during the week for 15 sacks on Sundays,” an AFC scout told The Post during the spring.
Of course, Carter is nowhere near 15 sacks. He has a half-sack through 11 games.
“When the hate don’t work they start telling lies!” Carter wrote Monday on X.
Carter had a chance to share his side of the story after the game, but deferred to Kafka on the specifics of his benching “if he decides to let y’all know what it is.” Kafka declined to provide a reason and called it a “coach’s decision.”
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It set a bad tone because Carter was given his best opportunity to make a splash Sunday with fellow edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux sidelined by a shoulder injury.
The Giants started Tomon Fox in place of Carter, who then had two pressures, one quarterback hit and one tackle over the rest of the game. Fox subsequently was cut Monday for the third time since August and the fifth time during his four-year career with the Giants, though he is expected to re-sign to the practice squad.
Giants teammates didn’t seem overly concerned by Carter’s absence.
When the hate don’t work they start telling lies!
— Abdul Carter (@1NCRDB1) November 17, 2025
“It’s just professional,” Brian Burns said. “There ain’t really too much to be said. There wasn’t no big meeting or anything like that. It was just between him and Kafka and it got handled.”
Kafka raved about Carter’s bright future after the game.
“I love Abdul and what he brings to this team, the skill set he has. This guy loves ball,” Kafka said. “I’m excited again to watch him attack this week of practice and continue to work and grow and be the great player that I think he is.”
Then-head coach Joe Judge benched rookie left tackle Andrew Thomas for one quarter in a game for being late to a team function in 2020. Thomas has developed into a captain and one of the most accountable voices in the locker room.
— Paul Schwartz contributed to this report