ARLINGTON, Texas — The Giants benched left tackle James Hudson after one of the most undisciplined drives you’ll ever see.
Hudson committed four penalties and allowed a sack on the Giants’ opening possession, which covered 110 yards but still wound up short of the end zone. Graham Gano kicked a 38-yard field goal because of all the reversing course caused by Hudson’s penalties.
Head coach Brian Daboll was seen on the television broadcast talking into the headset and telling his staff to sit down Hudson and put rookie Marcus Mbow in the game.
Hudson finished out the first drive before he was replaced by Mbow at the start of the second drive.
Hudson was heated on the sideline and couldn’t be calmed by offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo. Several teammates and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka gathered around Hudson to try to keep his head in the game.
Hudson was flagged for two personal fouls and two false starts. One was a dead-ball personal foul that moved the Giants from the doorstep of the Cowboys’ end zone back to the 17-yard line and the other was a dirty blow to the head that could’ve warranted an ejection.
Mbow mostly played right tackle at Purdue but the Giants trained him as a swing tackle.
Hudson allowed six quarterback pressures in the Giants’ season-opening loss to the Commanders.
It’s yet another reason that former All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas is sorely missed while sitting out the first two games of this season.
Hudson was signed early in free agency by the Giants, who were seeking a bona fide swing tackle after the two-year failed experiment of switching guard Josh Ezeudu into that spot. Ezeudu is on injured reserve to start the 2025 season.
It was clear all offseason that Hudson plays with an edge — he fought with Brian Burns into OTAs — but that crossed over into undisciplined and backfired against the Cowboys.