New York Giants rookie linebacker Abdul Carter was benched for the opening series of Sunday’s 27-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers for missing a team walk-through. According to sources, Carter was asleep at the team facility during the scheduled activity.
The disciplinary measure was enforced by interim coach Mike Kafka, marking a shift from the approach of former coach Brian Daboll, who sources say had previously overlooked a pattern of tardiness from the rookie.
“I made a mistake during the week that was detrimental to the team,” Carter said. “That was the consequence, so I had to live with it.”
Carter sat out the Packers’ six-play opening drive, an absence made more significant by a shoulder injury that sidelined starting linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux. He took his first snap on the punt return unit before playing every subsequent defensive down, finishing the game with two pressures, one tackle, and a quarterback hit.
The incident adds to a challenging rookie season for Carter, the No. 3 overall pick. In 11 games, he has recorded just half a sack, with an additional 2.5 sacks nullified by penalties. However, despite the limited production on the stat sheet, Carter has been a disruptive presence, with his 35 pressures tying for 26th in the NFL.
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