Florham Park, NJ – New York Jets center Nick Mangold will miss Sunday's game against Oakland because of a high ankle sprain, ending his streak of 82 straight games played.
Mangold was hurt during the first quarter of last week's game against Jacksonville and was on crutches earlier in the week. He did not practice this week and Jets head coach Rex Ryan said the three-time Pro Bowl selection will not make the cross-country trip for the game.
"He's just not ready, it's as simple as that," said Ryan, who indicated that Mangold could return the following week against Baltimore. "When you play 82 straight games, you're going to do whatever you can to keep that going. He doesn't know any different. I appreciate his toughness and his courage, but at the end of the day we have to do what's right for him and for the Jets."
Mangold had started every game at center since the Jets made the Ohio State product the 29th overall pick of the 2006 draft.
Rookie Colin Baxter took over for Mangold after the injury and is slated to start against the Raiders.
"He's doing well, he learned a lot from the last game and we've been working hard this week," Mangold said of his understudy. "[We were] hoping that we didn't have to use it, but we're glad we put the work in with him."
Ryan also said rookie defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson is questionable because of a shoulder injury that has kept him limited in practice all week.
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