Giants OLB Abdul Carter Says Missed Practice Was “an Honest Mistake”

More details have emerged over what led interim head coach Mike Kafka to bench Abdul Carter for a series.

New York Giants linebacker Abdul Carter | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

New York Giants rookie linebacker Abdul Carter took accountability for the at-the-time undisclosed indiscretion he committed last week that led to him being benched by interim head coach Mike Kafka for the opening defensive series against the Green Bay Packers this past Sunday.

But Carter, who responded to a report by The Athletic claiming the indiscretion was due to him having slept through a scheduled walkthrough, has doubled down on that claim, insisting he was getting treatment and not sleeping.

The former Penn State standout told ESPN that he committed “an honest mistake,” adding, "I was getting treatment and I told Coach Kafka that, too. But to say I was sleeping at that time just wasn't true.”

The rookie further disputed The Athletic’s report that his indiscretion was part of a trend, insisting to ESPN that, “This was the only time it happened."

The New York Post reported that the mix-up occurred on Friday, before a team’s scheduled walkthrough, and was partially the result of Kafka changing the practice schedule and Carter apparently not getting word of the time change.

As a result, Carter, operating under the assumption that the schedule was the same as in the past, thought he had time to slip in some additional treatment, which, per the Post, took place in a room that was not part of the main training room, which could explain why someone didn’t spot Carter in time to tell him.  

Explanations aside, Kafka decided to bench the rookie for a series to send a message to him and the team about the importance of staying on top of things, including schedule changes. 

Carter, who despite having racked up pressures only has a half of a sack to show for it in what's been an underwhelming season for the third overall pick in the 2025 draft, owned up to his role in the mix-up, accepted his punishment, and vowed that it wouldn’t happen again.

Carter, who otherwise would have gotten the start given that Kayvon Thibodeaux was inactive, was replaced by Tomon Fox on that first series. Carter was then back in the lineup on the Giants' second series.

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