Abdul Carter was benched again on Monday night, and he’s not happy about it.
The New York Giants rookie defensive end sat out the first two drives in their 33-15 loss to the New England Patriots on Monday due to tardiness, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
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Interim head coach Mike Kafka said after the game that Carter’s benching was simply a “coach’s decision.” Kafka didn’t elaborate when pressed by reporters despite this now being the second such incident already this season.
Carter got a little heated when speaking with reporters and also didn’t provide an explanation for his benching. But he did not place any blame on Kafka, and said it was on him.
Watching the first two drives from the sidelines, he said, was “sickening.”
“S*** happens,” Carter told a group of reporters after the game. “I ain’t gonna get into detail, but s*** happens.”
On Monday, Giants general manager Joe Schoen downplayed the incident.
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“Abdul’s a young man that’s 21 years old that’s smart and understands the magnitude of his actions and also understands what it means to be a pro,” Schoen said. “These kids are 21 years old, and they’re thrust in 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. We will continue to do that with everybody in this organization.”
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Carter: ‘I let my team down’
Carter entered the game on the Giants’ first defensive series of the second quarter, and quickly sacked Patriots quarterback Drake Maye on that drive. By then, the Giants were already in a deep hole. New England kicked a field goal, ran back a punt 94 yards for a touchdown and then completed a quick five-play touchdown drive to take a 17-0 lead with Carter watching from the sidelines.
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From there, the Patriots simply cruised to the 18-point win. It marked their 10th straight victory.
“I let my team down today,” Carter said. “The first two drives I was out, they scored 17 points. I take responsibility for that. I’ve got to be out there, I’ve got to do better.”
The Giants selected Carter with the No. 3 overall pick in the draft this past spring out of Penn State. He also was benched for the opening drive of their game with the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 16, because he missed a walkthrough earlier in the week. Carter said later he was getting treatment, not sleeping like some reports initially suggested, and took accountability for the mistake.
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Carter has 31 total tackles and 1.5 sacks this season. The Giants have lost seven straight and sit at just 2-11. They’ve been eliminated from playoff contention for a third straight season.
“It hasn’t been the best,” Carter said of the past few weeks. “But like I said, I’ve got to keep moving on, keep persevering. I’ll be alright … I’ve got to be better. I’ve got to take pride in what I do, be where I have to be at. Simple as that.”
