Ad Disclosure
Abdul Carter does not receive Lawrence Taylor’s blessing to don iconic jersey number
Published:
Abdul Carter asked nicely. And unlike most times on the football field at Penn State, where he dominated offensive linemen left and right, Carter got stonewalled.
It was innocent enough but still noteworthy. After being picked No. 3 overall by the New York Giants in the NFL Draft on Thursday night in Green Bay, Carter made it known that he would like to wear the No. 56 that Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor donned during his tour de force with the Giants in the 1980s and early ’90s.
Now, what about the fact that Taylor’s number is retired, because he was one of the best defensive players, if not the best in NFL history? That didn’t stop Carter from wanting to wear it.
Taylor was as forceful as one of his sacks back in the day. He isn’t letting the Giants unretire his No. 56 so Carter can wear it.
“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,” said Taylor in comments obtained by Steve Serby with The New York Post.
Carter didn’t get the answer he wanted from Taylor, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t handle it right. He took to social media on Friday night to show his class and grace in accepting Taylor’s wishes.
“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,” wrote Carter.
With that, the case of the Carter-Taylor number saga was quickly closed. Now, we’ll see what number Carter actually wears for Big Blue this fall.