Abdul Carter sH๏τ his sH๏τ.
The Giants’ No. 3 overall pick and star pᴀss rusher responded with grace after his Hail Mary attempt to wear the retired No. 56 belonging to Lawrence Taylor was denied by the franchise legend in an exclusive interview with The Post’s Steve Serby.
“The worst thing he could say was NO!! My stance don’t change, LT is the 🐐 nothing but respect…,” Carter tweeted late Friday night. “This just gonna make me work even harder!! I love it.”
Carter wore No. 11 while starring for Penn State over three seasons, but that number is not available in East Rutherford since it was retired for former Super Bowl-winning quarterback Phil Simms.
Cowboys star and fellow ex-Penn State star Micah Parsons actually asked Carter on Thursday after being drafted whether he would be wearing No. 11, but Carter revealed he had his eyes on a number ᴀssociated with defensive excellence with his new team.
“I got a different number in mind (than 11),” Carter told Parsons. “I don’t know, but (No.) 56 sound real good but we got have a conversation.”
He added: “I’m trying to start a tradition somewhere else.”
Carter added Friday he was in the process of seeing what could happen.
Last year, the Giants un-retired No. 1 for Malik Nabers after Ray Flaherty’s family OK’d the request.
Well, it takes two to tangle and Taylor wants Carter to make another number famous.
The Giants retired his number on Oct. 10, 1994, with Taylor calling it at the time one of the three-proudest moments of his life.
Taylor actually has been in Carter’s shoes, having wanted to wear No. 98 with Big Blue but the franchise preferring linebackers wearing numbers between 50-59.
“I know he would love to wear that number, but hey, I think it’s retired,” Taylor told The Post.
“Get another number, I don’t care if it’s double zero, and then make it famous.”
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The Giants can only dream of Carter being in the same realm of pᴀss-rushing destruction as Taylor provided during his legendary career that arguably makes him the best defensive player of all-time.
Big Blue’s foursome of Carter, Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence looks good on paper and the Giants even further beefed up the unit with third-round pick Darius Alexander.
Taylor is optimistic the defensive can return to being one of the league’s best.
“They got a helluva defense,” he told The Post, “so let’s see what we can do.”
He also offered Carter advice on how to navigate being the Giants’ new star.
Said Taylor: “It’s a rough place to play, but hold your head up and every time you turn around, you do what’s good for the team, you’re going to make it.”
