Abdul Carter settles on jersey number 51 after dramatic search
- Abdul Carter finalized his jersey number choice as No. 51 for the New York Giants after multiple attempts.
- His requests to wear retired numbers from Lawrence Taylor and Phil Simms were turned down.
- Carter looks to create his own legacy wearing No. 51, which has been worn by notable Giants in the past.
In early May 2025, Abdul Carter, the New York Giants' first-round pick in the NFL Draft, finalized his choice of jersey number, opting for No. 51. This decision came after attempts to wear retired numbers – particularly those of legendary Giants players Lawrence Taylor and Phil Simms – were met with refusals. Taylor emphasized the importance of forging one's own legacy rather than wearing the number of a past great, while Simms' family also declined to allow Carter to don his retired No. 11, which Carter wore successfully during his collegiate career at Penn State. Despite these setbacks, the rookie selected No. 51, a number that has been worn by several notable Giants players, including long snapper Zak DeOssie. The Giants indicated that Carter would sport this number at the rookie minicamp as he embarks on his NFL journey. Carter expressed that he would embrace the number moving forward, even saying that it would take time for it to