New York Giants left tackle James Hudson became the first player in NFL history to commit four separate penalties on the same drive. The 6-foot-5, 313-pound offensive lineman was benched for his actions.
He was not ejected.
The NFL continues to allow its players to slap an opponent with an open hand. This is the second week in a row that a player was not thrown out of the game for making contact to the head of an opponent because he did not use a closed fist.
NFL players will get fined but not ejected.
Teair Tart smacked Travis Kelce in the helmet with an open hand last week. It was flagged accordingly but the Los Angeles Chargers defensive lineman was allowed to stay in the game.
Tart smacks Kelce in the helmet pic.twitter.com/Qka81u9LZj
— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) September 6, 2025
The NFL later fined Tart $12,172 for his first offense of “striking” on Friday. Swifties were furious that he did not get suspended.
Hudson committed a similar infraction just two days later. It was even more egregious than Tart’s slap because it happened during a live play for absolutely no reason.
15 yards pic.twitter.com/akEUGJ4MNd
— Bobby Skinner (@BobbySkinner_) September 14, 2025
The officials rightfully flagged James Hudson for unnecessary roughness. He will presumably receive the same $12,172 fine for “striking” later in the week.
However, the 26-year-old was not ejected from the game.
James Hudson was removed from the game by the New York Giants.
Even though Hudson did not get tossed, the Giants relegated their left tackle to the bench. The open-hand slap was just one of four separate penalties he committed on the same drive.
- 15-yard unnecessary roughness
- 5-yard false start
- 15-yard unnecessary roughness
- 5-yard false start
Here was the second unnecessary roughness infraction:
GET JAMES HUDSON THE FUCK OFF MY TEAM pic.twitter.com/PWxmjIZG8W
— Alex Wilson (@AlexWilsonESM) September 14, 2025
Fox said it was the first time “this century” that one single player committed four penalties on one drive. I will go so far as to say that it was the first time ever. Certainly on the first drive of the game.
Hudson was benched for his actions.
Unfortunately, cooler heads did not prevail. He crashed out on the sideline.
James Hudson has been benched after being the first player this century to be penalized four times in one drive pic.twitter.com/0YKEU7NfRc
— Talkin’ Giants (@TalkinGiants) September 14, 2025
It was a poor showing from James Hudson but the National Football League allowed, once again, for a player who open-hand slapped an opponent to stay in the game. You won’t be ejected!