Abdul Carter
Getty
Abdul Carter will be changing his jersey number with the Giants from 51 to 3 in 2026
The New York Giants have been aggressive early on this offseason in a quest to build off of their 2025 campaign. Considering how they won only four games, it may not seem like there’s much to build from, but with John Harbaugh set to take over as the head coach of a team with a budding young core group of players, there’s reason for excitement in New York.
One guy who is part of that young core is Abdul Carter, who was selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Despite entering the league with sky-high expectations, though, Carter’s rookie campaign was filled with highs and lows. As he prepares for his sophomore season, Carter made a big announcement that will catch fans’ attention.
Abdul Carter Set to Change Jersey Number for 2026 Season
Ari Meirov
#Giants pass-rusher Abdul Carter is switching to No. 3 next season.
After a standout collegiate career with the Penn State Nittany Lions, Carter entered the NFL with big expectations. And yet, his rookie season was a letdown. Despite playing in all 17 games for New York, Carter finished the year with 43 tackles and just four sacks. While his pass-rushing metrics indicate he should be able to improve upon that total in 2026, it’s safe to say Carter’s first season in the pros left a lot to be desired.
There was also off-field drama involving Carter right from the get-go. He made headlines when he asked to wear the No. 56 jersey after getting selected by the Giants, which is retired in honor of the legendary Lawrence Taylor. During the season, Carter was also disciplined multiple times for missing team activities.
Carter was able to generate some positive momentum late in the 2025 campaign, but he recognized that he needed to make some changes. Unsurprisingly, that led to him announcing early in the offseason that he would be switching his No. 51 jersey. With Russell Wilson set to depart in free agency, Carter revealed that he would be taking his vacant No. 3 jersey, which is likely due to him being the third pick in last year’s draft.
“Giants pass-rusher Abdul Carter is switching to No. 3 next season,” Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team shared in a post on X.
Giants Hoping for Breakout Year from Abdul Carter in 2026
Abdul Carter
GettyAbdul Carter won’t be wearing No. 51 for the Giants anymore.
A jersey number only means so much in the grand scheme of things, but it’s been a surprisingly big topic of discussion for Carter ever since he found his way into the pros. At this point, the Giants will likely be willing to do whatever it takes to help Carter get things going, so facilitating this jersey number change has suddenly become rather important.
With Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux also in town, New York was able to get by last season, even with Carter not producing much in the sack department. It feels like only a matter of time until the sacks start piling up, though, and who knows, maybe this subtle change will help get the former Penn State product going when he returns to action in 2026.