Big Blue’s top pick finally makes his choice. After being turned down by Giants royalty Lawrence Taylor and Phil Simms in his search for a number to wear in the NFL, Abdul Carter has finally decided on his jersey number with the New York Giants.
According to NFL Network’s insider Ian Rapoport, Carter is planning to wear No. 51 starting on Friday when the Giants open rookie minicamp.
There has been extensive chatter and speculation around Carter’s number, largely because of the ways Super Bowl champions Taylor and Simms went about communicating theirs would remain unavailable to the rookie.
Taylor, who is considered the best defensive player in NFL history, was adamant and made it clear there was no way he would bring his hallowed No. 56 out of retirement to let Carter use it in games.
Embed from Getty Images“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,” Taylor told Steve Serby of the New York Post.
Simms was more diplomatic and careful of his word choice about his No. 11 not being available to Carter. The two-time Super Bowl winner said he would have had no problem with the Giants giving his number to Carter, but his family and loved ones “outvoted” him when the subject came up.
Chris Simms, Phil’s son, who also played quarterback in the league for years, said on Monday’s episode of PFT Live with Mike Florio (h/t Matt Ehalt of the New York Post) that his mother and sister were key factors in voting to keep No. 11 in the rafters.
“(She said) ‘I thought you were going to be on my side, how dare you. Forget it, I don’t want to talk to you and we’re hanging up,” Chris said of a conversation with his sister. “That’s when I knew, uh-oh, mom and sister have gotten involved here. And mom and sister have one more vote than me and brother (Matt), and I don’t know where my brother stands on this.”
Carter wore No. 11 for each of his three seasons at Penn State. The number has been identified with elite defensive players. Previous Nittany Lions stars to wear it include Micah Parsons, LaVar Arrington and NaVorro Bowman.
The Giants retired No. 11 for Simms in 1995. He spent his entire 15-year NFL career with the organization. Taylor’s No. 56 was retired in 1994, one year after his Hall of Fame playing career ended.
No. 51 has been worn by a slew, 20 different players, in Giants history. Azeez Ojulari most recently wore it from 2021 to 2024, but he departed from the Giants in March as a free agent to sign with their archrival the Philadelphia Eagles.
Carter, the third overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, is being counted on as a leader and the anchor for New York’s defense. He is joining an exciting pass-rush group that already features Brian Burns, formerly of the Carolina Panthers, Dexter Lawrence and Kayvon Thibodeaux. However, his coaching staff is on the hot seat, so there is pressure to deliver right away.
