HALAPIO
Early Years...
Jon Halapio was born on June 23, 1991. He attended St. Petersburg Catholic High School and was a stand-out offensive lineman on the football team, earning All-County honors his senior year.
Upon graduation from SPCHS, Jon accepted a scholarship to play at the University of Florida.
As a Gator, Jon started 43 of the 51 games he played. In the 2011 and 2012 seasons, he started every game at RG. In 2013, he missed the first two games of the season--while recovering from a pectoral injury--but was voted team captain and returned to start the final 12 games of the year.
"It was a dream come true, to play at Florida," says Halapio. "I have so many fond memories of Gainesville, my teammates, and the program. I'll be a Gator Boy for life!"
NFL Career...
Jon was selected by the New England Patriots, in the 6th Rd of the 2014 NFL Draft. He was released at the end of training camp and had subsequent workouts with Denver and Arizona, in the weeks that followed.
Despite being out of the League for the 2014 and 2015 seasons, Jon never wavered in his commitment to returning to the NFL. Each morning, he was up at 4am and working out by 5:30, before reporting for work at a used car dealership, followed by a second workout in the evening.
In July 2016, Jon was re-signed by the Patriots and had a stand-out performance at training camp. Though released at the end of camp, he drew praise from Belichick and the attention of other teams.
In September 2016, Jon signed with the New York Giants and remained on the practice squad for the remainder of the season.
In 2017, he signed a futures contract and returned to the Giants. On October 8th, he was called up to the active roster for the first time in his NFL career. On November 23rd--during a primetime Thanksgiving game, in DC--Jon made his first NFL start, at RG. He went on to start the final six games of the regular season.
In March 2018, Jon re-signed with the Giants and was moved to OC. By the end of training camp, he was named starting OC. On September 9th, Jon started the first 'season opener' of his career, at OC.
On September 16th, he suffered a lower leg fracture, during a primetime game, in Dallas. He underwent successful surgery at the NYHSS and is on track for a complete recovery and full participation in off-season team activities.
Off the Field...
Though best known as the starting OC for the 'New York Football Giants' Jon would be the first to tell you that his true identity comes from his faith and his family.
Raised in a close-knit Tongan family, humility and hard-work have been cornerstone values in his life, since childhood. In 2014, he married his long-time sweetheart, Sierra, and the couple are now the proud parents to Savannah and Jeremiah.
In 2017, Jon proudly launched the inaugural "Halapio Three-Point Football Foundation." The JH3 is a free, one-day, non-contact youth football program, run in partnership with the NFL Foundation and USA Football.
In 2018, the second annual JH3, hit max registration, but the real highlight wasn't lost on Jon. "We had a girl at the camp this year," said Halapio. "That made me so happy, you would've never seen that when I was coming up around here. I'm so glad we're creating an environment and program where every kid--boys and girls alike--feel welcome. In the end, it's about a heck of a lot more than just football. It's about winning at the broader game of life."
Out of season, Jon resides with his family in his home town of St. Petersburg, FL.