Abdul Carter has all the makings of a future star. He’s explosive, he’s physical, and he was arguably the best defender in the 2025 NFL Draft. But when it comes to picking a jersey number? That’s been a different kind of challenge.
After the New York Giants selected Carter with the third overall pick, the rookie linebacker had one number in mind: 11. It’s what he wore at Penn State, the same number Micah Parsons made famous there too. The problem? No. 11 is already hanging in the rafters at MetLife Stadium, retired for Giants legend Phil Simms.
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At first, it looked like there might be a solution. Simms went on FanDuel TV and said he’d be open to unretiring his number for Carter—or fellow first-rounder Jaxson Dart. “I’d let him have it in a second,” Simms said. “It wouldn’t bother me.” Carter even responded online, calling it “an HONOR.” For a minute, the story had legs.
Phil Simms’ No. 11 jersey will stay retired despite Abdul Carter’s interest
Turns out, that window slammed shut just as fast as it opened. Simms later told Gary Myers of the New York Daily News that he’d been “outvoted by his family,” and that No. 11 will remain retired. Respect to the Simms crew—they clearly aren’t ready to see another Giant wearing that number.
That leaves Carter fully in jersey limbo. He already struck out on No. 56, which was quickly and respectfully shut down by Lawrence Taylor himself. Now No. 11 is officially off-limits, too. Carter’s got the game, the attitude, and the platform—but for now, he’s going to need a new identity on the field. Literally.
Maybe that’s fitting. Carter isn’t here to replicate greatness. He’s here to create his own. Giants fans don’t need another LT. Or another Simms. They need the first Abdul Carter. And while his jersey might read a different number come Week 1, the goal’s the same: make it iconic.
Whatever number lands on his back, Carter’s got a real shot to leave his own legacy in New York. Just not wearing 11 or 56. And honestly? That might be better anyway to honor the "NY" anyway.