Bringing back retired numbers for a player to wear is a rare occurrence, but Giants rookie DE Abdul Carter took his shot in donning No. 56 for New York, the same number worn by Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor.
Carter grew up idolizing Taylor and called him the greatest football player of all time, leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft. So when he was selected No. 3 overall by the Giants on Thursday, he began campaigning to get to wear the number.
He told Cowboys Pro Bowler Micah Parsons on his podcast that he had the No. 56 in mind for a number instead of No. 11, his college number.
Unfortunately for Carter, that doesn’t seem like a possibility. Taylor told the New York Post on Friday that he is denying Carter’s request.
“I know he would love to wear that number, but hey, I think it’s retired,” Taylor said. “Get another number, I don’t care if it’s double zero, and then make it famous.”
Taylor said that he doesn’t want the rookie edge rusher to take what he said the wrong way, but the Giants Legend pointed out he had to forge his own path with a new number when he got to New York.
Taylor wanted to wear No. 98, his college number, but the NFL only allowed linebackers at the time to wear numbers 50-59.
Of course, the NFL has long done away with the number restrictions, but the unretiring of a number is up to the player and franchise.
Last season, the Giants allowed first-round pick Malik Nabers to use No. 1, a number retired in honor of Ray Flaherty, after discussions with the late player’s family. But while it’s unlikely now the Giants will unretire a number two seasons in a row, Carter is taking the denial in stride.
“The worst thing he could say was no!” Carter wrote Friday night on X. “My stance don’t change, LT is the goat. Nothing but respect. This just gonna make me work even harder! I love it.”
Carter is projected to be one of the two best players to come out of this year’s draft — alongside Colorado’s Travis Hunter. His inclusion on the Giants defense will only strengthen a d-line that already has Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux.
In his introductory news conference on Friday, before Taylor’s comments, Carter reaffirmed his feelings about LT and how he strives to be like him.
“I haven’t met him yet, eventually, I will,” Carter said. “He’s the greatest football player of all time and somebody I look up to. I want to chase greatness.”
Who knows, Carter may achieve greatness with a number that will resonate with future players, too.
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