Giants' Andrew Thomas limited in long-awaited return from foot injury

The New York Giants on Sunday night welcomed back left tackle Andrew Thomas, but only in a limited role against the Kansas City Chiefs, marking his first game action since a fractured left foot sidelined him last season.

Thomas took part in roughly 25 snaps in the 22-9 loss, with rookie Marcus Mbow taking the rest of the workload. The plan was to ease him into action, testing how he handles live game reps as he continues to ramp up his conditioning and technique after the lengthy absence. Thomas has not played since Week 6 last season, a game against the Bengals on Oct. 13, when the injury occurred. He underwent Lisfranc surgery in October and later had another procedure in the spring to remove screws from his foot.

The Giants had planned for a measured return, and Thomas noted that the process remains about managing workload and progression. He said it felt great to be back, acknowledged that he was rusty after a long layoff, and indicated that the team would continue to build up reps in the coming weeks. The experience offered a preview of what it would take to protect the team’s quarterback, whether veteran Russell Wilson or rookie Jaxson Dart, should the latter step into greater duties later this season.

Offseason acquisition James Hudson III was the initial fill-in for Thomas in last week’s overtime loss to the Cowboys, but Hudson struggled, committing four penalties on the opening drive alone. He was benched after 16 offensive snaps and replaced by Mbow, the Giants’ fifth-round pick from Purdue, in what amounted to a shift in the lineup to stabilize the protection.

Over the past three seasons, the Giants have managed to win just three of the 20 games Thomas missed due to injury, a testament to how crucial his presence has been when healthy. The Giants were 6-10 with him in the lineup during that stretch, underscoring the challenge of sustaining offensive consistency when the left tackle is unavailable.

Coach Brian Daboll framed Thomas’s return as a step in a longer process, emphasizing that the next phase is to ramp up his workload and continue monitoring his response to live hits and game tempo. The plan remains to integrate him gradually while the team assesses protection schemes and potential adjustments along the line.

For now, Thomas’s presence offers a lift to a unit that has needed stability up front, especially as the Giants address protection schemes and protect whoever lines up at quarterback. The team will evaluate the path forward in practice this week, with administrative notes and player availability likely to influence the rotation as they prepare for the next opponent.

Injuries also shaped the sidelines for the Giants on Sunday, with Evan Neal inactive for the third straight game, and additional inactives listed as Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (calf), Chauncey Golston (ankle), Darius Muasau (concussion/eye), Rakeem Nunez-Roches (foot), Thomas Fidone II and third quarterback Jamies Winston. For Kansas City, wide receiver Xavier Worthy (shoulder) was among the inactives. The game highlighted the evolving choices the coaching staff will face as Thomas returns and the unit searches for consistency up front.