Lawrence Taylor Has Pointed Message to Giants Rookie Abdul Carter

Taylor didn't mince words when asked what he would tell Giants rookie Abdul Carter.

Nov 3, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor on the field before the game between the Giants and the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

New York Giants Hall of Fame legend Lawrence Taylor knows a thing or two about what it takes to raise the level of his game, something that Giants fans who got the pleasure of seeing him do week in and week out during the 1980s and early 1990s know all too well.

So when Taylor offers advice to the new generation of players, particularly those who play the same position as he did in the day, they’d be wise to listen.

And Taylor’s message, as told to Steve Serby of the New York Post, for embattled Giants rookie linebacker Abdul Carter–the very same Carter who, after being selected third overall in the draft, had hoped to get Taylor’s famed No. 56– was direct and to the point.

Wake up!

“This is what you worked for, this is where you want to be, so now you’re there,” Taylor said, according to Serby. “Let’s wake up.”

No defense

Oct 19, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; New York Giants linebacker Abdul Carter (51) reacts after a play against the Denver Broncos during the second half at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Carter has come under fire for the last three weeks for drawing benchings from interim head coach Mike Kafka for two separate indiscretions in which the young defender reportedly missed either a practice or a meeting. General manager Joe Schoen, in offering something of a defense of Carter

“Abdul is a young man who's 21 years old, who's smart and understands the magnitude of his actions and also understands what it means to be a pro,” Schoen said on Tuesday. 

“These kids are 21 years old, and they're thrust into the spotlight in New York City, and it's not always going to be perfect. People make mistakes. Nobody's perfect. Part of our job is to develop them as football players, but also as people, and we will continue to do that with everybody in this organization.”

The problem with Schoen’s defense of Carter is that Carter has made the same mistake multiple times, therefore suggesting that it’s a habit rather than an isolated incident.

That said, Carter, who has taken ownership of his latest missteps that have come to light, said he’s all ears when it comes to the advice he receives from his teammates.

“The guys who say that, those are guys I look up to, guys I respect. So, if they say something like that, I’m going to look at myself first, like ‘alright, what am I doing? How can I get better?’ and prove to them that I can earn their respect and go out and be who I’m supposed to be,” he said.

He might want to start by taking the advice and earning the respect of one of the greatest legends to ever play, not just for the Giants but for the NFL, and wake up. 

What happens next with the NY Giants? Find out! Follow and like us on Facebook. Visit our YouTube channel for the latest videos. Want to send a question in for our mailbag? You can do so here.