New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor and the team’s 2025 first-round pick Abdul Carter have a lot in common. They were both dominant linebackers at the college level and were selected in the draft by a Giants team in desperate need of a shot in the arm.
At this point, the comparison ends. Taylor is considered the greatest linebacker in league history, if not its iconic defensive player, while Carter struggled at the professional level both on and off the field.
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If you remember, Carter was so highly touted that there was a crazy moment where it was suggested that Carter wear Taylor’s iconic No. 56 or even Phil Simms’ No. 11, both of which have been retired by the team.
No, this isn’t even a debate. Superfans wonder if Carter will live up to even a fraction of his expectations. He had just 1.5 sacks in 13 games, and while he made a mild impact, his approach to NFL life and professionalism needs to be watched.
Carter has been fined and suspended multiple times for disciplinary issues, most of them late, and his teammates and fans are questioning whether the Giants made a mistake in bringing him in.
In a recent interview with Steve Selby of the New York Post, Taylor had some advice for the third overall pick in this year’s NFL draft out of Penn State.
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“Wake up,” LT told The Washington Post. “This is what you work for, this is where you want to be, so now that you’re there…let’s wake up.”
“Don’t let your teammates down because of the Bulls—t!” Taylor continued. “If you can’t tell your coach what’s going on and why you can’t come to training, that’s bullshit.”
Ask anyone who has played in the NFL and they will tell you it is a rules league where the team comes first. Everyone should follow the rules and respect each other. You know, just like every other walk of life.
“No one respects the team more than I did as a rookie,” Taylor said. “Harry Carson, Brad Van Pelt, Brian Kelly. Those guys are my mentors and I’m not going to let them down.”
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But he didn’t. Carter has several veterans who serve as his mentors, including Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns, but they appear to be as frustrated with the rookie as everyone else.
“These two guys need to talk to No. 51 and get him straight up and say, ‘Hey, you’ve got to get your priorities right.’ It’s that simple. I don’t know what else to say to him. But he’s got to get his priorities right,” LT said. “There’s no reason not to work hard, there’s no reason not to come to practice, and if you want to make a name for yourself like I did, there’s no reason not to fight your butt off when you’re out there.”
“If his teammates have a problem, you have a problem,” LT continued. “If the coach has a problem, then you have a problem. You’re the third pick in the entire draft. You should be better than this.”
Taylor also said he didn’t want to simply “beat” Carter and offered him some sound advice.
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“He just needs to get his stuff together,” Taylor said. “If he can put his stuff together, New York will love him… You make history on the court, not off the court.”
We’ll see if this message from the greatest giant is accepted.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wired: Giants legend Lawrence Taylor has harsh message for Abdul Carter
