The New York Giants find themselves at the center of an intriguing jersey number debate, as rookie linebacker Abdul Carter has made it known that he would love to wear No. 11, the number he donned at Penn State. While Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor swiftly rejected Carter’s request to un-retire his legendary No. 56, Phil Simms, the Giants’ former Super Bowl-winning quarterback, has expressed a willingness to see his No. 11 back on the field.
In an appearance on FanDuel TV, Simms revealed that he has no objections to the idea of Carter, or even rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, taking up his iconic number. “I told some of my friends and people around me, ‘I’d let him have it in a second. Can you just help it a little or make it better?'” Simms said. “I think it would be a lot of fun. It wouldn’t bother me.”
Carter quickly took notice of Simms’ comments and responded on X, expressing his appreciation with an enthusiastic message: “It would be an HONOR”, accompanied by the horns hand emoji in a nod to Simms. This definitely means he has the opportunity to continue using his number.
Family and agent push back
Despite Simms’ openness, not everyone in his circle shares the same sentiment. The former Giants quarterback acknowledged that his agent and family might object more than he does. “My wife, I don’t know if my family said anything. The boys didn’t say anything. My agent (said), ‘Don’t you dare give up that jersey number.’ Well, first off, I don’t think Abdul Carter is going to ask for it, but, if he would’ve, if it was up to me, I would probably give it to him.”
The Giants have previously un-retired numbers, most notably Ray Flaherty’s No. 1, which was given to rookie receiver Malik Nabers last year with the approval of Flaherty’s family. Similarly, Hall of Famer Warren Moon allowed his No. 1 to be un-retired for Titans rookie Cam Ward.
Carter’s future number remains undecided, but with Simms publicly signaling his approval, the Giants could soon determine if No. 11 will make a return to MetLife Stadium. Meanwhile, Dart, who wore No. 2 at Ole Miss, may need an alternative, as that number is currently held by cornerback Deonte Banks, who already swapped his No. 3 for Russell Wilson earlier this offseason.
With No. 12 available, the Giants rookies might soon have their jersey selections finalized. However, whether Carter wears Simms’ No. 11 or opts for a different path remains one of the more intriguing offseason storylines in New York.
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