The Giants lost to the Patriots on Monday Night Football, 33-15, to fall to 2-11 on the season. One of the big takeaways from the contest for New York was the benching of Abdul Carter. The fourth pick in the 2025 NFL draft, Carter was sidelined for the first quarter of the defeat. He was back on the field in the second quarter, but by the time he took the field the Patriots had already built a 17–0 lead.
The Giants confirmed his absence wasn’t injury-related, and at halftime ESPN sideline reporter Laura Rutledge asked interim coach Mike Kafka why Carter wasn’t on the field. Kafka declined to give any details and instead said it was a coach’s decision. A talented pass-rusher getting benched is always notable, but especially so in the case of Carter, who was benched for one drive against the Packers a few weeks ago because he missed a team walkthrough.
