The Giants lost to the Patriots on Monday Night Football, 33-15, to fall to 2-11 on the season. One of the big takeaways from the contest for New York was the benching of Abdul Carter. The fourth pick in the 2025 NFL draft, Carter was sidelined for the first quarter of the defeat. He was back on the field in the second quarter, but by the time he took the field the Patriots had already built a 17–0 lead.
The Giants confirmed his absence wasn’t injury-related, and at halftime ESPN sideline reporter Laura Rutledge asked interim coach Mike Kafka why Carter wasn’t on the field. Kafka declined to give any details and instead said it was a coach’s decision. A talented pass-rusher getting benched is always notable, but especially so in the case of Carter, who was benched for one drive against the Packers a few weeks ago because he missed a team walkthrough.
After the Giants lost Kafka took the stage to speak to the media and, naturally, was quickly asked about what happened with Carter. He yet again refused to provide any details and instead defaulted to repeating one answer over and over again—that it was his decision.
“That was a coach’s decision. My decision,” Kafka said when asked why Carter was benched.
When asked why he made that decision, Kafka said, “Just based on how we went during the week, that was the decision I wanted to make.”
Kafka was then directly asked if it was a disciplinary decision. You can probably guess what he said.
“No, it was just my decision to not play him.”
‘Round and ‘round Kafka went with reporters for three whole minutes. All follow-up questions were met with the same version of this response: that it was Kafka’s call. He refused to elaborate on anything else regarding the decision. He complimented Carter and said he was one of his favorite players on the team but kept coming back around to the simple response that it was his decision to not play him.
“That was my decision and my decision only. Anything else outside of it is going to be kept in-house.”
Just say he was late to a meeting ffs... Mike Kafka on Abdul Carter pic.twitter.com/PRGiqQLPrh
— Giants Nation Show (@GiantsNationPod) December 2, 2025
The only other piece of information Kafka was willing to offer? He did not regret benching Carter.
“I don’t regret the decision. I don’t,” Kafka stated.
A rather bizarre press conference. The coach seems very focused on keeping this in-house, as he said. The reason for Carter’s benching against Green Bay broke contain, and Carter felt it necessary to issue a correction on reporting that said he slept through the team walkthrough, insisting he just got the timing wrong. Perhaps Kafka would like to avoid a repeat of that situation.
Either way, it definitely isn’t good for the Giants to feel it necessary to bench Carter on two separate occasions due to whatever happened in the week leading up to games.
Abdul Carter reacts to Giants’ benching
Kafka’s desire to keep the specifics of the issue within the New York building seems to have landed with Carter. Speaking to reporters after the game, the rookie linebacker was short with his answers about what unfolded.
“S--- happens,” Carter said. “I ain’t gonna get into details. Like I said, s--- happens... I let my team down again. First two drives, I was out. They scored 17 points. I take responsibility for that. I gotta be out there. I gotta do better.”
Carter was then asked if he felt the message got through.
“Yeah.”
Abdul Carter: “Shit happens. … I let my team down today.” #giants pic.twitter.com/BEzDBbBsXC
— Charlotte Carroll (@charlottecrrll) December 2, 2025
Carter also tweeted after the game asking people to stop “slandering” his name.
“Stop slandering my name real s--! & if you believe that bs you stupid!” he sent from his X account.
A rocky season for the Giants in many regards.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Giants’ Mike Kafka Kept Repeating One Line When Asked About Benching Abdul Carter Again.
