Abdul Carter and His Quest for a Giants Jersey Number

Abdul Carter recently faced the challenge of choosing a jersey number after the New York Giants selected him with their third overall pick. His desire? To wear the legendary No. 56, previously donned by the iconic Lawrence Taylor, a Giants great whose number was retired back in 1994.

This request, as it turns out, wasn’t an easy one. Taylor remarked, “He wants to wear that number. But hey, I think it’s retired. Get another number. I don’t care if it’s double zero or not, and I’ll make it famous.” Quite the endorsement, but also a slight nudge toward practicality.

Meanwhile, former quarterback Phil Sims offered an alternative: No. 11, which the Giants also retired in 1995. Carter, who sported various numbers during his time at Pennsylvania, viewed this as a “badge of honor.” In college, wearing a certain number carried significant meaning, representing both the school and the players’ legacy.

Carter expressed that it would be an “honor” to wear No. 11, but ultimately, it seems the decision was less in his hands. Sims mentioned through a longtime New York sports writer that his family would “control” his number choices. Interesting how family dynamics play into sports, isn’t it?

As for Carter’s light-hearted comments, he joked about potentially having just his last name on the jersey, saying with a grin, “I don’t have a number.” Last season, Ray Flaherty’s number 9 was retired for wide receiver Malik Nabers, marking a significant moment in Giants history.

The Giants currently have 13 retired numbers for 14 players, which, I guess you could say, complicates things a bit for newcomers looking to make their mark with a famed digit. If only choosing a number were as easy as finding a fan favorite among this storied history.