New York Giants Steve Serby Everything coming together for Abdul Carter to live up to sky-high expectations By Steve Serby Published July 31, 2026, 8:56 p.m. ET Abdul Carter speaks to the media after Giants practice on July 31, 2026. Corey Sipkin for NY Post WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — A year of growth and maturity and the arrival of General John Harbaugh have formed the perfect storm for Abdul Carter to rain terror on quarterbacks.
Lawrence Taylor won Defensive Player of the Year as a rookie in 1981 and again in 1986 and 1991. Michael Strahan won Defensive Player of the Year in 2001 when he set the single-season sack record.
Now, all these years later, here comes Abdul Carter.
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When I asked Carter if he had goals for this season, he said: “I want to be Defensive Player of the Year, for sure.”
