How Andrew Thomas’ foot responded to full workload in Giants’ win

The Giants eased cornerstone left tackle Andrew Thomas back into the lineup two weeks ago against the Chiefs with just 28 snaps in his first game action since undergoing foot surgery last October. 

The former All-Pro offensive lineman took on a much heavier workload last Sunday, playing all 76 offensive snaps to help the Giants to their first win of the season — 22-18 over the Chargers — in quarterback Jaxson Dart’s first NFL start. 

“In my mind, I was going the whole game, unless something else happened. My mindset was to play the whole game,” Thomas said after practice Friday in East Rutherford. “I’m feeling good, had a good week of practice. A lot of snaps on Sunday, but excited to get back on the field again.” 

Thomas, who sat out the final 11 games of 2024 and the first two games of this season, said he’s feeling “normal soreness” and joked, “my lungs were more tired than anything” after the offensive line’s first full game as a unit this season. 

Left to right, the starting offensive line of Thomas, Jon Runyan Jr., John Michael Schmitz Jr., Greg Van Roten and Jermaine Eluemunor were on the field together for all 76 offensive plays. 

The Giants ran for a season-high 161 yards — including a career-high 79 for rookie running back Cam Skattebo plus 48 more by Dart.

He also threw for 111 on 13-for-20 passing, albeit with six sacks. 

“It was a good game. We got the win, so just keep building on that,” Thomas said. “I guess you could say it’s our best [game] because we won, but like I said after the game, selfishly we gotta score more in the red zone and do a little better in the run game and try to protect Jaxson better.” 

The 26-year-old Thomas was listed as a full participant in Friday’s practice after he was designated as limited the previous day, but head coach Brian Daboll said the emphasis this week has been to make sure the Giants “take care of” the No. 4 overall pick in the 2020 draft. 

After facing the 0-4 Saints this week in New Orleans, the Giants will have a short week before playing the Eagles on Thursday night at MetLife Stadium. 

“I’m really proud of AT,” offensive coordinator Mike Kafka said earlier this week. “The first game, he only had a limited snap count, 20-something plays. Then he comes out the very next week and plays, however many, 70-something plays. 

“It was just a gritty effort by one of our captains, one of our leaders in the room. I was really proud of him for doing that for us. He looked like his normal self. I’m sure as he’s getting into the groove of it, I’m sure he’ll start to feel better about it. But to me, I love having him out there. He was certainly a calming presence on the sideline, his demeanor.

“Then the way he played, I thought, he was at the level that we expect him to play, a high level.”