Someone might need to remind Abdul Carter that the famous line from “Friday Night Lights” is “clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose” — not “closed eyes.”
The Giants benched Carter for the first series Sunday because he missed a walkthrough last week while sleeping in the team facility, a source told The Post. The Athletic was first to report the reason that Carter sat the first six defensive snaps before logging the final 45 in a loss to the Packers.
But Carter quickly refuted reports.
“Was not sleep, actually doing recovery,” Carter wrote on “X.” “Nonetheless that’s on ME!”
And it sounds like it wasn’t a first offense.
Abdul Carter runs onto the field before the Giants’ game against the Packers on Nov. 16, 2025. Getty Images
Carter has made a habit of running late to team functions, including meetings, as a rookie, a second source told The Post. Any disciplinary action that he faced from former head coach Brian Daboll was kept out of the public eye, but interim head coach Mike Kafka took a slightly stronger stand in his first week on the job.
“I made a mistake during the week that was detrimental to the team,” Carter said after the game. “I already know that whatever I do have is going to have consequences. That was the consequence, have to live with it, keep playing.”
Carter deferred specifics to interim head coach Mike Kafka “if he decides to let y’all know what it is.” Kafka declined to provide a reason for his decision.
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It set a bad tone because Carter was given his best opportunity to make a splash Sunday with Kayvon Thibodeaux sidelined by shoulder injury. The Giants started Tomon Fox, who was cut in August, in place of Carter, who then had two pressures, one quarterback hit and one tackle over the rest of the game.
Giants teammates didn’t seem overly concerned by Carter’s absence.
“It’s just professional,” Brian Burns said. “There ain’t really too much to be said. There wasn’t no big meeting or anything like that. It was just between him and Kafka and it got handled.”
Kafka raved about Carter’s bright future after the game.
“I love Abdul and what he brings to this team, the skill set he has. This guy loves ball. I’m excited again to watch him attack this week of practice and continue to work and grow and be the great player that I think he is.”
There are no changes coming to the Giants coaching staff this week.
“Status quo,” Kafka said. “As a matter of fact, we’re going to go and attack this week of prep. The coaches are excited about it. We just watched the tape with some good, fresh ideas.”
Kicker Graham Gano, who is on injured reserve with a herniated disc in his neck, posted photos to Instagram that reveal he underwent a medical procedure. His neck was wrapped in a brace in a hospital bed and after discharge.
RT Evan Neal, who was put on injured reserve on Saturday despite not playing a snap all season, injured his hamstring during a “workout.” The No. 7 pick in the 2022 draft will miss at least three more games but likely is finished with the Giants.
“The docs made a decision to do the move to IR,” Kafka said.
Kafka changed the Giants’ weekday schedule from giving players off on Tuesdays – as is customary around the NFL and was Daboll’s way – to off on Mondays. Players typically are in the facility Monday for treatment.
“I think it gives the coaches a little bit of front-end time in terms of getting prepped and then they see (players Tuesday),” Kafka said. “It kind of takes the emotion out of the game. Allows guys to evaluate it and see it with clear eyes. Allows the coaches to do the same. Then it gives us an opportunity to flip the page and move onto the next opponent. Just a little different schedule that I’ve had in the past, and I thought it was a good fit.”
— Paul Schwartz contributed to this report