Heroes get remembered, legends never die. And in the case of New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor, he's making sure his legacy never dies.
Taylor was—and still is—widely considered one of the greatest defensive players of all time. He is a 10-time Pro Bowler, eight-time All-Pro, three-time Defensive Player of the Year, a league MVP, and two-time Super Bowl Champion (all for the Giants). All of this is to say, he was pretty incredible.
His career achievements in New York earned him a significant honor—one that will always be remembered. Back in 1994, the G-Men retired jersey No. 56 for good. Or so we thought...
With the third pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Big Blue selected Penn State's electric edge rusher Abdul Carter.
Lawrence Taylor will not let Abdul Carter wear No. 56 for the Giants
Almost immediately after the pick, rumblings started about whether Carter—who wore No. 11 at Penn State—might look to wear No. 56 in New York. After all, No. 11 is retired for Phil Simms. And with the comparisons between Carter and Micah Parsons already flying, fans wondered if the Giants would consider bringing No. 56 out of retirement for their new pass-rushing star.
Well, LT himself just emphatically shut the door on that idea.
Speaking to reporters, Taylor made it very clear:
“I know he would love to wear that number, but hey, I think it’s retired. Get another number, I don’t care if it’s double zero, and then make it famous.”
And that’s that.
Taylor’s response leaves no room for interpretation. No. 56 belongs to LT, and it’s going to stay that way forever. Carter will have to carve out his own legacy—and his own number—on a Giants defense that’s quickly taking shape with players like Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and now Carter himself.
There’s still plenty of excitement about what Carter can bring to the table. But if there was ever any thought about him stepping straight into No. 56 and all the expectations that come with it, Taylor just made sure everyone knew: some things aren’t meant to be touched.
Luckily for Carter, there are still plenty of numbers left to make famous in New York. He won’t be getting LT’s blessing anytime soon if ever, but there’s always another door that could open.
Maybe Phil Simms will be a little more understanding.