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Phil Simms, the legendary New York Giants Quarterback, and his family has struggled with the notion of letting the team’s first round of election, Abdul Carter, wear his retired No. 11 jersey.
While Simms himself said he would be open to let Carter carry the same number he wore in Penn State, the women in his family eventually closed.
Chris Simms, Phil’s son and current NBC NFL analyst, broke the debate inside his family circle on “Pft Live with Mike Florio” Monday when he said “Shedding Tears” actually came to his sister, Deidre, and mother, Diana.
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Former New York Giants Quarterback Phil Simms during a ceremony to reveal a mural celebrating New York Giants 100. Season at Hackensack University Medical Center. (IMagn)
After Simms came up with his comments about being open to let # 11 go to Carter, Chris had a phone call with his father and asked if he should make it happen for right.
However, Deidre called and couldn’t believe Chris was on his father’s side.
“‘I thought you should be on my side how dare you. Forget it, I won’t talk to you and we’re hanging on,'” Chris said Deidre told him over the phone.
Rob Gronkowski ‘Happy’ Lawrence Taylor refused Abdul Carters Giants Jersey -request
“That’s when I knew, ‘Oh oh, mom and sister have been involved here.’ And mother and sister have another voice than me and brother (Matt) and I don’t know where my brother is standing on this.
Chris said his father asked him if he could swing his mother and sister to his side. Chris, however, was right – Simms Women’s voices had more power in the end.
“I knew they were throwing a fit,” Chris said. “I think it’s going to the point where they were literally like they threw tears. I try not to bother my mother or my sister, but it was how important it was for them. And on top of that, blowback from it and the amount of people coming to my dad, ‘Don’t give up your number, don’t,’ I think he was a little taken of it.
New York Giants Quarterback Phil Simms, Left and New York Giants Rookie Abdul Carter. (IMagn)
“In the end, he won’t do what he was outvoted by his family, specifically his daughter and his wife, but that’s where it stands right now.”
Carter, who went third in the 2025 NFL draft, has given rise to a certain controversy that is about the jersey number he wants to wear. Lawrence Taylor, Hall of Fame Linebacker, whose retired No. 56 was brought up by Carter, told Rookie to make his own number famous.
That’s when Carter turned to No. 11, which Phil openly said he would consider giving him. Now, however, Carter will have to find his own number like any other player.
It seems to be trivial to think that a rookie could take a retired number, but it has happened recently in the NFL, including with Giants this last season. Malik Nabers got permission from the family to Ray Flaherty to wear # 1 and he did well in the last year.
NBC sports analyst Chris Simms on the field before a game between Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions at Geha Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Denny Medley-usa Today Sports)
In this year’s draft class, Warren Moon also gave Cam Ward, the biggest choice, the right to carry his retired # 1 with Tennessee Titans. Of course, Moon has the right to give away his number if that is the case.
While Jersey numbers usually do not carry weight for rookies, the NFL world is now fixed on what Carter will do now that both his requests have been denied.
