The New York Giants drafted ex-Penn State star Abdul Carter with the No. 3 pick in this year’s draft. The first order of business for Carter after arriving was to find a jersey number. At first, the DE requested the franchise to grant him either the No. 56 or No. 11.

However, both jersey numbers were retired following successful stints by franchise legends Lawrence Taylor and Phil Simms, respectively. In the end, Carter settled down with No. 51, a cheeky nod to both the ex-NFL stars and their success with the franchise.

Now, it looks like the ex-Penn State star is settling in with No. 51 amidst his offseason training. On Thursday, Carter posted a photo of himself flaunting his jersey during a practice session. The 2024 Unanimous All-American accompanied the snippet with a four-word message:

“51 growing on me.”

When he requested Taylor’s jersey, the two-time Super Bowl star denied it, saying the rookie should carve out his own name in the league:

“I know he would love to wear that number. But hey, I think it’s retired. Get another number. I don’t care if it’s double zero, and then make it famous.”

On the other hand, Phil Simms did not directly turn down Carter like Taylor. The retired Giants legend said he had no problem giving the rookie his jersey number. However, his family and close friends, including his agent, did not agree to it:

“I told some of my friends and people around me. I said. ‘I’d let him have it in a second. It wouldn’t bother me… But my wife, I don’t know if my family’s said anything… But my agent, ‘Don’t you dare give up that jersey number.’ Well, first off, I don’t think Abdul Carter’s gonna ask for it. But if he would have, if it was up to me, I would probably give it to him.”

In May, Carter ended up finalizing No. 51 as his number.

What does Abdul Carter’s rookie deal look like?

After being drafted by the Giants, Carter finalized the terms of his rookie contract in May. He agreed to a four-year deal worth $42,255,180. The contract also includes $29,552,848 as a signing bonus.

After inking his first NFL contract, Carter expressed his feelings on X/Twitter:

“Alhumdulilah Beyond Blessed.”

The rookie DE is expected to take up a major role on the Giants’ defense during his debut campaign. Last season, they finished with a disappointing 3-14 record. Only time will tell if Brian Daboll can lead the team to a playoff spot this year.