Giants rookie Abdul Carter brutally flattened in viral ‘welcome to the NFL' moment that shocks fans
New York Giants rookie Abdul Carter, drafted third overall in 2025 and tipped as one of the most exciting defensive talents in years, had his dream start collide with a dose of reality in Week 2 of the preseason.
After hyping fans with a Star Wars-themed post and shining in his debut against Buffalo, Carter was floored in unforgettable fashion against the Jets — first chipped to the ground by tight end Stone Smartt, then flattened by right tackle Jay Tufele. The play instantly went viral, reminding everyone that even top prospects must endure humbling first lessons.
From social-media hype and rising stardom to a humbling fall that stunned Giants fans
Carter arrived at MetLife with the buzz of a blockbuster. At 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds, the linebacker looked built for dominance, and his debut a week earlier had fueled optimism.
His playful social-media stunt — casting himself as a Star Wars hero — added to the growing legend. But the Jets delivered a moment that stripped the gloss. Within seconds, Carter was on the turf twice, reduced to a meme as much as a menace. It was a jolt, but also the type of moment every rookie eventually encounters.
The viral clip that spread everywhere and turned a rookie's growing pains into a national talking point
The collision was replayed across timelines within minutes. On X, fans mixed amusement with sympathy: some laughed at the giant falling, while others urged patience, pointing out how every
NFL
newcomer has to take their lumps.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
What Will Happen to Your Body If You Start Eating 3 Eggs Every Day?
HealthSupportMag.com
Undo
What made it sting more was the contrast: Carter, the face of New York's defensive future, upended by journeymen blockers. He ended the night with just one tackle, his stat line far quieter than the storm online.
Inside the Giants' locker room, teammates and coaches rally behind Carter with faith in his future
Inside the Giants' locker room, there's no panic—just belief. Offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor put it plainly, 'I know that kid's going to be great. I tell him every day, tell him when I see him I think he's going to be great… There's hard work, there's talent, but there's something that's just God-given like his twitch and his shiftiness.'
Coaches echoed that view, stressing that Carter's ability to learn from mistakes is part of what made him a top-three pick.
The setback, they suggested, could become fuel rather than a flaw.
Even on a night when Carter struggled, the Giants' preseason victory showed promise across the roster
Beyond Carter's stumble, New York had little to complain about. The Giants rolled to a 31–12 win over the Jets, with their quarterback trio of Jaxson Dart, Russell Wilson, and Jameis Winston orchestrating steady drives. Defensively, the team showed depth across the line, with Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence anchoring the front.
Carter's quiet stat sheet was an outlier on a night otherwise filled with progress.
Every NFL great has endured early bruises, and Carter's viral moment could become the spark of his rise
For Carter, Saturday's moment is unlikely to be the headline of his rookie season, but it may be the story that sticks for now. NFL legends from Lawrence Taylor to J.J. Watt have spoken of their own early humiliations, each framing them as necessary chapters in the climb to greatness. Carter's viral tumble fits that lineage. If he responds with the same ferocity he has shown in practice, the Giants may look back on this preseason blooper as the spark that hardened their future star.
Also read:
Travis Kelce's locker room stunned and electrified as Taylor Swift turns up for Kansas City Chiefs' Week 3 clash against Chicago Bears
Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
6 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Giants' Abdul Carter suffers awkward moment during practice against New York Jets
The New York Giants' player Abdul Carter suffered an awkward moment during Saturday's (August 16) game. Following an impressive NFL debut against the Buffalo Bills a week ago, it's needless to say that expectations were high. However, when the 6-foot-3 250-pound player managed to get tackled easily in the first half of the game, many fans were shocked to say the least. Abdul Carter had an impressive debut against the Buffalo Bills a week back.(AP) The hype and fall In order to hype up his fans for the Week 2 preseason game against the New York Jets, Carter posted a Star Wars video on his social media handle with the caption, 'See y'all tonight, New York.' However, Carter got sandwiched to the ground by tight end Stone Smartt and right tackle Jay Tufele soon after the game started. Carter reposted one of the many videos capturing the moment, which were posted on social media. 'might be the only highlight of the Jets all season and we put BTA…' he wrote. Fans react Ever since the shocking moment happened, fans have been expressing their views on the issue online. 'And I was just saying as a jets fan I like dart and Carter and they are hard to root against…. (I'm a Penn state fan also BTW) you can go get fucked now. Have fun on the worst team in NY,' a user wrote. 'I hope you come to Philly baby. We will get you a ring dawg. Giants will get you nothing. I can't wait for you to be a free agent,' said a fan. Another user chipped in by writing, 'You cooked them all game and all week in practice. They couldn't wait to get one 'highlight' against you' 'You did nothing to help your team win. You are taking credit for your teammates doing well. You're a trash diva,' yet another fan added. 'Micah Parsons ran to Twitter after getting chip blocked by Leonard Fournette Both Abdul and Micah wore number 11 at Penn state ' a user also said. The Giants' current roster till leaves major gaps for the quarterback position. - With inputs from Stuti Gupta
Hindustan Times
6 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Jaxson Dart preseason stats: Could Giants' first-round pick become 'Rookie of the Year'?
New York Giants' rookie Jaxson Dart is visibly levelling up his performance in every game. ESPN's Jordan Raanan called Dart's second Giants' performance 'even better than the first', which has led many to question if he could potentially be the 'Rookie of the Year'. Jaxson Dart's coach Brian Daboll said he still had a lot to learn, but was growing every day.(Getty Images via AFP) Jaxson Dart's preseason performance 'Giants rookie first-round pick Jaxson Dart through two preseason games: Game 1 at Bills 12-of-19 passes, 154 passing yards, one touchdown Game 2 vs. Jets 14-of-16 passes, 137 passing yards, one passing touchdown, one rushing touchdown O interception,' ESPN's Adam Schefter wrote on his social media account, summing up Dart's overall performance metric for this preseason. 'Dart went 14-of-16 passing for 137 yards with a passing touchdown and another score rushing on Saturday night in his first game at MetLife Stadium against the rival New York Jets. The first-round pick completed his final 13 passes and led the Giants on a pair of touchdown drives to begin the second half of a 31-12 win,' Raanan wrote for ESPN. After being pushed into Saturday (August 16) night's game in the middle of the quarter, he threw a screen pass to tight end Theo Johnson before returning to the sideline. "I was like, all right, I didn't know that I was going to go in for one play and then come back out," he told ESPN. "So I think that that's just [that] he's making up scenarios where you never know when your number's going to be called, and you got to be ready for that. He's done it in practice. So I think that that kind of taught me that I need to continue to warm up on the sideline. You just never know when things like that are going to happen." Could Jaxson Dart be 'Rookie of the Year'? "Yeah, he's still got a lot to learn," coach Brian Daboll said of Dart, as reported by ESPN. "But he's growing every day. Like I said, that's why we drafted him. We spent a lot of time with him, have a lot of confidence in the young man. He's done a good job for us since he's been here in every area you could do -- off the field, on the field, leadership, moxie, intelligence, but it's early. We've played a couple preseason games against probably some vanilla looks, but he's making strides every day, and that's all you can ask of any other young player." Despite handling a drive with the first-team offensive line late in the first half, Dart remains the No. 2 quarterback, falling behind Russell Wilson on the roster. - With inputs from Stuti Gupta
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Lavrov's USSR Sweater In Alaska Prompts Soviet Craze; Brands Scramble
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov sparked a fashion frenzy after arriving at the Alaska summit in a white USSR-themed sweater. Featuring bold Cyrillic 'CCCP' lettering and retro styling, the outfit went viral and sold out overnight. Designer Yekaterina Varlakova confirmed it's now only available for pre-order. Observers saw it as a subtle nod to Ukraine's Soviet past, with added symbolism given Alaska's Russian history. Russian President Vladimir Putin later honoured Soviet heroes, amplifying the display of national pride. Read More
