Rob Gronkowski goes off on Giants rookie Abdul Carter's ‘crazy' Lawrence Taylor number request

New York Post

04-05-2025

Rob Gronkowski is floored at Abdul Carter's daring request.
The former Penn State pass rusher, whom the Giants took No. 3 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, was in pursuit of Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor's No. 56 jersey to wear for his rookie season.
The bold ask rubbed Gronkowski the wrong way.
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5 Abdul Carter speaks to reporters at a news conference at the NFL football team's training center in East Rutherford, N.J., Friday, April 25, 2025.
AP
'Was he serious asking for LT's number?' the four-time Super Bowl champ said on a recent episode of the 'Dudes on Dudes' podcast he hosts with former Patriots teammate Julian Edelman. 'Yeah you were a high draft pick but LT is an absolute legend. The best to do it. One of the best defenders of all time. Like you gotta prove yourself. That's crazy just asking for LT's number. And I'm glad that LT shut him down like that.'
Gronkowski is referring to Taylor telling The Post's Steve Serby that Carter should use a different number.
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'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.'
'That was such an LT response. Go make your own freaking number kid,' Edelman continued on the podcast. 'Can we read the room? And it's not even the room, it's the football galaxy. The fact that he even asked, that's crazy to me. Maybe he'll go make another one. And people say oh the [No.] 11, the 11 thing. But they give everyone 11 at Penn State but no one ever puts on the 56.'
5 Rob Gronkowski shares his thoughts over Abdul Carter wanting Lawrence Taylor's Giants jersey.
X @DudesonDudesPod
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Carter didn't take the rejection too hard.
'The worst thing he could say was NO!! My stance don't change, LT is the [goat emoji] nothing but respect…,' Carter tweeted a day following Taylor's decision. 'This just gonna make me work even harder!! I love it.'
Carter wore No. 11 at Penn State, the same number worn by former Nittany Lions linebackers LaVar Arrington and Micah Parsons.
5 New York Giants great Lawrence Taylor reacts after he rings the bell before the start of the first quarter of the Giants and Washington Commanders game in East Rutherford, N.J.
Bill Kostroun/New York Post
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The Giants' No. 11 initially wasn't available since it is retired for former Super Bowl-winning quarterback Phil Simms, but the former Giant later said he was open to the idea of un-retiring his number for Carter or the team's other first-round pick, Jaxson Dart.
'I told some of my friends and people around me, 'I'd let him have it in a second. Can you just help it a little or make it better?'' Simms quipped on FanDuel TV. 'I think it would be a lot of fun. It wouldn't bother me.'
Carter jumped at the opportunity, posting on X 'It would be an HONOR,' while tagging Simms with the horns hand emoji.
5 Former New York Giants quarterbacks Phil Simms, Jeff Hostetler, and Eli Manning are honored on the field during the second quarter of a game against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium on September 10, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
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5 Quarterback Phil Simms #11 of the New York Giants passes the ball in the game between the Detroit Lions vs the New York Giants at Giants Stadium on October 16, 1988.
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However, Simms' family outvoted him and his number will remain retired.
'Damn at this point imma be out there with just my last name on my jersey, no number Jkjk, It's all Love. Just wanna play Football!' Carter wrote on X with three crying laughing emojis.
Just a year after the Giants un-retired No. 1 for Malik Nabers following Ray Flaherty's family's approval, Carter is striking out in his own quest.