Giants' Abdul Carter denied No 56 by Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor: 'Get another number'
The New York Giants took Penn State's Abdul Carter third overall with the dream that he could one day be in their Ring of Honor, solidifying a spot as one of the best players to wear their jersey.
But that jersey won't feature the number 56 on it as he would like.
The number 56 belonged to perhaps the greatest defensive weapon the NFL has ever seen: Lawrence Taylor. It was retired by the Giants in 1994 to honor the Hall of Fame linebacker, and he intends to keep it that way despite Carter mentioning his desire to wear it.
Carter, however, is using Lawrence's "get another number" comment as fuel for his own fire heading into his rookie campaign with Big Blue.
"The worst thing he could say was NO!! My stance don't change, LT is the [goat emoji]. Nothing but respect… This just gonna make me work even harder!! I love it," he wrote on X.
Carter's comment stems from Taylor being asked about the Penn State product's own right after being drafted by New York.
He spoke to fellow Nittany Lion Micah Parsons, the Dallas Cowboys' star edge rusher, who will now be an enemy. Parsons and Carter both wore No. 11 at Penn State, so the former asked the latter if he would carry that tradition into the NFL.
The problem with that number is that former Giants quarterback Phil Simms saw that retired for him as well, but Carter said he was eyeing Taylor's No. 56 instead, to which Parsons and his Bleacher Report co-hosts reacted in amazement.
The New York Post asked Taylor about Carter's potential number request, and it was clear he wouldn't be sharing it.
"I know he would love to wear that number," Taylor said. "But, hey, I think it's retired. Get another number. I don't care if it's double zero, and then make it famous."
The Giants' previous first-round draft pick, wide receiver Malik Nabers, did get the blessing from Ray Flaherty's family this past season to wear his retired number one. So, a request isn't out of the ordinary for the franchise.
But Taylor wants Carter to forge his own path in the NFL, and have Giants fans remember him for his own number on his back.
Of course, Carter would absolutely love to have a career remotely close to Taylor's.
He was a 10-time Pro Bowler, two-time Super Bowl champion, the 1986 league MVP and three-time AP Defensive Player of the Year over his 13 seasons in the league – all with the Giants.
Taylor racked up 142 career sacks over 184 games after being taken second overall in the 1981 NFL Draft out of North Carolina.
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