Dallas Cowboys starting center Phil Costa left the team's season opener against the New York Giants on Wednesday night with an injury before completing even a quarter of action. Costa departed with a back injury midway through the first quarter, giving way to Ryan Cook.
Costa, the third-year pro out of the University of Maryland, has re-aggravated a prior back injury, according to Nick Eatman of True Blue Fan Club. Costa played in just four games as a rookie in 2010, but in 2011 he started in all 16 Cowboys contests. There has been no further word yet on if the 6-foot-3, 313-pound center is expected to return.
Cook, his replacement, is a seventh-year lineman from the University of New Mexico. After being a full-time starter for the Minnesota Vikings in his second and third seasons, the 6-foot-6, 325-pound Cook has since been a backup in Minnesota and last year with the Miami Dolphins.
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