FOXBOROUGH — Abdul Carter didn’t get the message the first time, so the Giants benched him again.
Joe Schoen’s No. 3 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft sat out the entire first quarter of Monday night’s game against the Patriots, marking his second benching at the start of a game in the past three weeks.
“Sh*t happens,” Carter said. “I ain’t gonna get into detail. I just said sh*t happens.”
Interim head coach Mike Kafka said during a bizarre press conference that Carter’s benching was “my decision not to play him,” without acknowledging the obvious disciplinary nature of his punishment.
A report by Rivals.com said Carter was benched because he was late to a meeting, and Carter appeared to confirm that when he admitted that it’s been a challenge adjusting to the off field demands of being a pro.
“I guess you could say that,” he said. “But I’m not gonna use that as an excuse. I gotta be better, take pride in what I do, be where I have to be at. Simple as that.”
The rookie pass rusher previously was benched on Nov. 16 against the Green Bay Packers because he had slept through a walkthrough practice during the week. Kafka only benched Carter for a single drive in that game.
But on Monday, Kafka sat Carter down for an entire quarter. That sidelined him for the first 16 defensive snaps of the game.
“It was just an honest mistake. He does have to be a pro and take accountability, which he did,” veteran Brian Burns said. “I know he doesn’t intend to do what he did, but at the end of the day I’m trying to be there for him and help him as much as I can.”
Outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen was promoted to interim defensive coordinator this week after the firing of Shane Bowen. So this means Carter committed his latest violation in the same week his position coach was promoted.
The Giants actually had defensive line coaches Andre Patterson and Bryan Cox coaching the edges and defensive backs on edge setting and tackling during individual drills in their first practice after Bowen’s firing.
Shockingly, putting the architects of the worst run defense in football in charge of Carter didn’t make a difference.
By the time Carter entered the game, the Patriots already had built a 17-0 lead.
“I let my team down today,” Carter said. “First two drives I was out, they scored 17 points. I take responsibility for that. I gotta do better.”
Carter recorded his first career full sack on a third down tackle of a scrambling Drake Maye for zero yards on Carter’s first drive.
His rookie season will be remembered, though, for a lack of discipline inside the building and a lack of production on the field.