Was Abdul Carter benched vs. Patriots after a 'wild team meeting incident’? Truth behind viral rumor

Reports claim Giants' Abdul Carter missed the first drive for watching porn in a team meeting, but the team says it was the coach’s decision. He is not injured.

Updated on: Dec 2, 2025, 07:46:31 IST

By Shamik Banerjee

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New York Giants linebacker Abdul Carter was not on the field for most of the first quarter as the team played the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football.

Abdul Carter of the New York Giants. (Getty Images via AFP)

Carter was suspended by the Giants from the first drive after he was caught watching porn during a team meeting, Wesley Steinberg, New York Giants Insider reported.

However, the news lacks authenticity as the Giants' management has not explained the rookie linebacker's absence, saying that it was the coach's decision. Giants have confirmed that the linebacker is not injured.

“DE Abdul Carter will miss the first drive tonight for disciplinary reasons after getting caught watching porn in a team meeting when his headphones disconnected,” Steinberg wrote.

Some reports claimed that Carter was benched for the first drive for coming late for a team meeting. Notably, Carter was benched earlier in the NFL season for missing a team walkthrough.

However, the details surrounding the incident that led to Abdul Carter's benching has not been revealed. He was in the stadium, waiting on the bench for most of the first quarter, as coach Mike Kafka showed no indication of bringing him back.

In the 2025 NFL season, Carter has played 12 games for the Giants, amassing 27 tackles, 15 of which were solo. He has been recording 0.5 sacks per game this season.

Carter Returns To Score First Career Full Sack

As the New York Giants' defense struggled against the Patriots, coach Mike Kafka eventually brought on Abdul Carter late in the first quarter. And, the decision was instantly rewarded. Carter went on to record the first full sack of his rookie NFL career. Here's the video:

Also read: Is Justin Herbert left handed? Chargers QB injury update and return timeline as he undergoes surgery

Carter, a Penn State Nittany Lions grad, was picked by the Giants as the third overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shamik Banerjee
Shamik is a journalist covering the United States for Hindustan Times. He has more than four years of experience reporting on US politics, sports, and major breaking stories across fast-moving cycles. He previously worked at Times Now and Sportskeeda, building strong newsroom instincts and digital storytelling skills. At HT.com, he focuses on day-to-day coverage of US political developments while also handling high-impact stories that demand speed, accuracy, clarity, and context under pressure. Shamik has extensive experience covering NFL game days over the past two years, coordinating live updates, analysis, and explainers. He is particularly drawn to large news moments such as US elections and the Super Bowl, where he thrives at the news desk working alongside the team. He holds degrees in Media Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia and English Literature from Jadavpur University. Before entering journalism, he briefly worked in digital marketing and political consultancy roles. Currently a Senior Content Producer at HT Digital, he is driven by curiosity, discipline, and a constant desire to explore new and obscure topics. Outside work, he enjoys reading, films, sports, and learning continuously.Read More

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