Abdul Carter is still looking for his New York Giants jersey number, but not for lack of trying.
The No. 3 pick of the 2025 NFL Draft made requests this week to don the jersey numbers of Giants greats Lawrence Taylor and Phil Simms, and was turned down by both. Both numbers have been officially retired by the Giants for years, so Carter needed their permission to unretire them.
He first made his request of Taylor, saying during an interview on draft night that he had the No. 56 in mind for his Giants career. No Giant has worn No. 56 since Taylor’s 142-sack career with the team, which ended in 1993.
Taylor politely but firmly turned the request down the following day via the New York Post:
“I know he would love to wear that number. But, hey, I think it’s retired. Get another number. I don’t care if it’s double zero, and then make it famous.”
Carter at least took the rejection in stride.
The worst thing he could say was NO!! My stance don’t change, LT is the 🐐 nothing but respect… This just gonna make me work even harder!! I love it.
— Abdul Carter (@1NCRDB1) April 26, 2025
Carter’s next choice was his old number at Penn State, No. 11. Unfortunately, that was the number worn by Simms during his 15-year career in New York, in which he won two Super Bowls and retired as the franchise’s all-time leading passer. Only Eli Manning has since surpassed him.
Unlike Taylor, Simms actually expressed an openness to the idea on Friday, saying he had no problem if either Carter or No. 25 overall pick Jaxson Dart, the team’s quarterback of the future, wanted it. However, he also said his inner circle might not approve:
“I told some of my friends and people around me, I said. ‘I’d let him have it in a second.’ I said, ‘Can you just help it a little and make it better, or whatever?’ I think it would be a lot of fun. It wouldn’t bother me.
“If they really want it — but, my wife, I don’t know if my family’s said anything. The boys didn’t say anything. But my agent, ‘Don’t you dare give up that jersey number!’ Well, first off, I don’t think Abdul Carter’s gonna ask for it. But if he would have, if it was up to me, I probably would give it to him.”
The latter part of that quote wound up being rather important, as veteran journalist Gary Myers, whose “Once a Giant” book covered both Simms and Taylor on the Giants’ 1986 Super Bowl team, reported later Friday that Simms told him he was outvoted by his family and Carter would need a new number.
Again, Carter took the news with good humor.
Damn at this point imma be out there with just my last name on my jersey, no number😂😂😂 Jkjk, It’s all Love. Just wanna play Football!
— Abdul Carter (@1NCRDB1) May 3, 2025
So it’s back to the drawing board for Carter.
If it helps the brainstorming process, here are all the other numbers that have been officially retired by the Giants: No. 4 (Tuffy Leemans), No. 7 (Mel Hein), No. 10 (Manning), No. 14 (Ward Cuff and Y.A. Tittle), No. 16 (Frank Gifford), No. 32 (Al Blozis), No. 40 (Joe Morrison), No. 42 (Charlie Conerly), No. 50 (Ken Strong) and No. 92 (Michael Strahan).
In Carter’s defense, there is very recent precedent for what he has now twice attempted to do. Malik Nabers, the No. 6 pick of last year’s draft, received permission from the family of Giants great Ray Flaherty to don the No. 1 last season. Though even in that case, the family needed to talk it out for a while before acquiescing.
Jersey requests aside, Carter is joining the Giants with a mountain of hype behind him. The 21-year-old was considered a No. 1 pick-worthy talent after a Penn State career that culminated with unanimous All-American and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors after a junior season with a nation-best 24 tackles for loss plus 12 sacks.
