Giants Rookie Carter Benched for First Quarter vs. Patriots

New York Giants rookie outside linebacker Abdul Carter sat out the entire first quarter of Monday Night Football's Week 13 matchup against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, marking the second time in three games he has been benched for disciplinary reasons under interim head coach Mike Kafka.

The Giants, who trail 17-0 early after a field goal and a 94-yard punt return touchdown by Marcus Jones, started Chauncey Golston opposite Brian Burns on the defensive line in Carter's place. Carter, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Penn State, did not enter until the second quarter. Officials described the decision as a coach's call due to Carter missing part of a team responsibility, with reports indicating it involved tardiness to a meeting. This followed a similar punishment two weeks earlier during a Week 11 loss to the Green Bay Packers, where Carter missed the opening defensive series after being absent for a 15-minute walkthrough.

Carter has denied specifics of the earlier incident, particularly reports that he slept through the session. "My mistake was an honest mistake," he said afterward. "I own the fact that it was an...