New York Giants first-round pick Abdul Carter vehemently denied Tuesday that he slept through a walk-through practice last week and said he was getting treatment at the time of the walk-through.
Reports surfaced on Monday, a day after Carter was benched for the opening series of Sunday's 27-22 loss to the Green Bay Packers, that Carter was asleep during a walk-through practice last week.
Carter said that new head coach Mike Kafka changed the normal practice times and he didn't realize the change was made until he was in treatment at the time he was used to -- and it was too late. Carter said he spoke to Kafka about it on a FaceTime call later that day.
"My mistake was an honest mistake," Carter told ESPN on Tuesday. "I own the fact that it was an honest mistake. I was getting treatment and I told Coach Kafka that, too. But to say I was sleeping at that time just wasn't true. And it also wasn't a trend. This was the only time it happened."
Carter was expected to start Sunday in place of the injured Kayvon Thibodeaux. Instead, Tomon Fox played the first six defensive snaps before the Packers punted.
Kafka didn't want to discuss the incident and said the team was keeping the matter in-house. The No. 3 pick in the draft took offense to the reports of him sleeping.
Carter felt the need to speak out because he believes what has been reported unfairly tarnishes his name and reputation.
"I don't want anonymous sources to say these types of things about me that are untrue," Carter said. "I did make a mistake, and I own up to what I did."
