Malik Nabers made waves last year when he requested to wear jersey No. 1 for the New York Giants, a number that had been retired. The Giants granted his wish, unretiring the number for their first-round pick. Fast forward to this year, and another first-round pick, Abdul Carter, is now facing a similar situation. After being selected as the No. 3 overall pick by the Giants, Carter shared his interest in wearing No. 56, a number famously worn by Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor, who is considered one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history.
Carter expressed his desire during a conversation with Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys on Bleacher Report. He said, “I got a number in mind … No. 56 sound real good.” However, like No. 1, No. 56 is also retired by the Giants in honor of Taylor’s legendary career. Carter is clearly aware of Taylor’s impact on the game. During a pre-draft visit to the Giants’ facility, he posted a photo of Taylor that hangs on the wall.
When Carter returned to the Giants facility after the draft, the topic of his jersey number came up again. He wore No. 11 at Penn State, but that number is also retired by the Giants, having been worn by former quarterback Phil Simms. Carter acknowledged the situation, saying, “We’re still in the process of that, but we’ll see what happens.”
The Giants have a history of unretiring numbers. Last year, they received permission from the family of Ray Flaherty, who wore No. 1 in the 1930s, to allow Nabers to wear it. This precedent raises questions about whether they might consider a similar move for Carter regarding No. 56.
Carter has expressed his admiration for Taylor, calling him the greatest defensive player of all time. He said, “Just want to follow in his footsteps, knowing how great he was. I just want to chase greatness, and knowing that he was the best, that’s what I want to chase.”
As the season approaches, fans will be eager to see what number Carter ultimately chooses to wear, and whether the Giants will continue their trend of honoring their legends while allowing new players to create their own legacy.