Judge hires all-important offensive line coach

After interviewing a few candidates, Joe Judge hired Rob Sale to coach his offensive line. Sale previously worked with Judge during their time together at Alabama under Nick Saban.

- CHRIS BISIGNANO

Sale, 41, was most recently the offensive coordinator at Louisiana-Lafayette, and this will be his first coaching job in the NFL.

The offensive line, especially the coaching position, was the only hiccup in Judge’s first season as head coach of the Giants. He hired Marc Colombo, who was highly recommended by offensive coordinator Jason Garrett when the two were together in Dallas. It turned out to be a bad fit.

Judge did not like the progress of first-round pick Andrew Thomas and began spending more time with the rookie as well as the rest of the line, feeling they were not playing at the level he demanded.

First, Colombo objected to Judge teaching his offensive linemen different techniques than the ones Colombo was implementing. Then, Judge brought in Dave DeGuglielmo, a longtime NFL offensive line coach, as an offensive consultant.

That was the final straw for Colombo.

Colombo had a shouting match with Judge in front of the team during a Week 11 bye week practice. There was even a report (denied by Judge) that Colombo and Judge came to blows.

Judge fired Colombo after the altercation, giving the job to DeGuglielmo for the rest of the season.

Judge wanted to retain DeGuglielmo, but a deal couldn’t be worked out for him to stay. DeGuglielmo was named the offensive line coach at Louisiana Tech.