Abdul Carter settles on this jersey number for Giants after denied request for Lawrence Taylor’s Jersey No. 56

Before even stepping on the field, Abdul Carter is already turning heads in New York. The Giants’ first-round pick recently made headlines by asking to wear Lawrence Taylor’s iconic No. 56, a request that was quickly denied. Now, after striking out with two retired jersey numbers, Carter has picked a new one that still gives a subtle nod to the Giants legends who came before him.Fresh off a standout career at Penn State, Carter called Taylor “the greatest football player of all time.” So when he publicly floated the idea of wearing Taylor’s retired No. 56, it didn’t go over well. Giants fans pushed back—and Taylor himself made his stance clear.“I know he would love to wear that number, but hey, I think it’s retired,” Taylor told the New York Post. “Get another number and make it famous.”After that firm rejection, Carter pivoted to another Giants great, Phil Simms. The rookie had worn No. 11 in college, and Simms initially said he’d be open to unretiring his jersey number for Carter. But soon after, Simms admitted his family overruled him. That door was shut, too.With both No. 56 and No. 11 off the table, Carter made a calculated move, he chose to wear jersey number 51—a subtle nod to both legends, taking digits from each of their iconic numbers.The No. 51 jersey number was last worn by pass rusher Azeez Ojulari, who departed for Philadelphia in the offseason. Now, it belongs to a rookie linebacker ready to leave his mark.NFL jersey numbers are more than digits, they represent history, pride, and pressure. By eyeing two retired numbers right out of the gate, Carter showed fearlessness. Some fans see it as confidence; others call it disrespect. Either way, the decision to wear No. 51 has already added another layer to Carter’s growing spotlight.Also Read: Shocking: Jordon Hudson, Bill Belichick's girlfriend, banned from UNC facility after explosive controversyNow it’s up to him to prove that he belongs. If Abdul Carter lives up to the hype, jersey number 51 might just become the next great number in Giants history not for who wore it last, but for who dared to make it matter again.