New York Giants center, Jon Halapio is done for the year after suffering a broken ankle in Sunday’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
The New York Giants lost in more than ways than one on Sunday night.
In addition to their 20-13 loss at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys, a score that was much closer than the game itself, the Giants lost center Jon Halapio for the season due to a broken ankle. The season departure was first reported by Jordan Raanan of ESPN.
Giants starting center Jon Halapio broke his ankle and is out for the season, per sources. Bad luck. He had worked so hard to not only stick on a roster but become a starter. Was playing well. His loss another blow towards creating continuity on the Giants offensive line.
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) September 17, 2018
The Giants later confirmed that Halapio broke both his ankle and his lower leg. He will go on injured reserve and undergo surgery.
Center Jon Halapio suffered fractures to his lower leg and ankle last night in Dallas and is scheduled to undergo surgery to repair the injuries.
— New York Giants (@Giants) September 17, 2018
It’s yet another big blow for the Giants much-maligned offensive line, which has continued to struggle despite several offseason additions. Halapio was one of the few holdovers from last season, appearing in 10 games and starting six, the first of his NFL career. He won the starting center job in training camp, beating out another 2017 Giants alum, Brett Jones, who was subsequently traded to the Minnesota Vikings for a seventh-round draft pick.
A Florida alum, Halapio entered the league as a sixth-round draft pick of the New England Patriots in 2014. Prior to his New York arrival in September 2016, Halapio spent times on the practice squads of Denver and Arizona, as well as a second stint with the Patriots. He also spent two seasons with another New York team, the Brooklyn Bolts of the defunct Fall Experiment Football League, where he also spent time with the Boston Brawlers.
Despite the Giants’ offensive struggles, allowing Eli Manning to be sacked eight times, including six times alone in Dallas, Halapio was a rare bright spot on the line. Pro Football Focus had given him the third-best pass blocking grade among centers who took at least 50 snaps in Week 1, a 20-15 loss to Jacksonville, and he was the second-highest graded offensive Giant on Sunday night.
Halapio, 27, left during the third quarter of Sunday’s game, carted off the field and fitted with an air cast. He was replaced by veteran offensive lineman and another 2017 holdover, John Greco, who finished out the contest. The team has two other centers on the roster, including Spencer Pulley, who started 16 games with the Los Angeles Chargers, and undrafted rookie Evan Brown, both of whom have been inactive for the first two games.
The Giants, sans Halapio, will continue their season this Sunday, as they take on the equally winless Houston Texans (1:00 p.m. ET, Fox).
