New York Giants edge rusher Abdul Carter was benched in the opening series of the 27-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. According to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, the decision was made by the coaching staff after the rookie missed the walk-through ahead of the game.

Duggan made it known in an exclusive report on Monday that the linebacker was asleep in the team’s facility during the walk-through. Carter was said to have taken accountability for missing the walk-through after the game, noting he accepted the team’s punishment.

“Giants rookie linebacker Abdul Carter was benched for the opening series of Sunday’s 27-20 loss to the Packers because he missed a walk-through leading up to the game, according to team sources,” Duggan reported. “Carter, according to sources, was asleep in the team facility at the time of the walk-through.”

Carter responded to the report of him sleeping at the time of the walk-through on social media on Monday. The rookie denied the claim, noting that the report is a false allegation.

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“When the hate don’t work they start telling lies,” Carter wrote on X.

In an earlier post, Abdul Carter acknowledged that he did miss the walk-through, but insisted it was because he was receiving treatment, not because he was asleep. Still, he took full responsibility for the absence.

“Was not sleep, actually doing recovery. Nonetheless that’s on ME,” Carter wrote.

Carter sat out Green Bay’s six-play opening drive as discipline, then played every remaining snap. He finished with two pressures, one tackle, and one quarterback hit.

Max Duggan claims Abdul Carter reports late to meetings

Sleeping during the team walk-through wasn’t the only negative report Dan Duggan made about Carter. He also reported an unflattering detail about Carter, noting that the linebacker has previously been late to meetings, a habit former coach Brian Daboll once overlooked.

“Being late to meetings has been a trend during Carter’s rookie season that former coach Brian Daboll let slide, a source said,” Duggan wrote.

Interim coach Mike Kafka is determined to eliminate every element of indiscipline in the team, leading to disciplinary action for the linebacker. Carter’s absence from the opening drive stood out even more because starter Kayvon Thibodeaux was already out with a shoulder injury.

Abdul Carter’s rookie year hasn’t gone as anticipated. The edge rusher has recorded just half a sack, with another 2.5 nullified by penalties. However, the stat line does not give the whole picture of his performance for the Giants this season.