It was the Preparation Day, and so, to prevent the bodies from remaining on the crosses during the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a great day), the Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies removed.

Accordingly the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man, and then those of the other who had been crucified with Jesus;

But, on coming to him, when they saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.