NFL world mourns Jets legend Nick Mangold after sudden passing at 41

While Kansas City Chiefs fans prepare for a relatively stress-free Sunday with Monday Night Football against the Washington Commanders on the near horizon, sad news hit the NFL world on Sunday morning. The New York Jets announced the passing of franchise legend and one of the NFL’s all-time best centers, Nick Mangold, just a short time after Mangold revealed he was in search of a kidney donor.

On the field, Mangold was one of the best to ever play the center position. From the time he was drafted by the Jets in 2006 to his retirement in 2018, he was widely considered the best in the business. The career Jet was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection, a three-time All-Pro, and a premier figure and locker room leader on Jets teams that appeared in back-to-back AFC Championship Games in the late 2000s.

If you were a center who played at the high school or collegiate level in the 2000s, Mangold was on the short list of guys you looked up to and wanted to model your game after. Even his look — the long hair and beard flowing outside the helmet — was imitated by many but replicated by none. Mangold captured the larger-than-life personality traits that many NFL players today have cashed in on via social media before it was even a possibility for him to do so.

Nick Mangold was a legend in the middle of not only the offensive line but the NFL world as well.

Mangld was also a staple in New York sports culture. He became as synonymous with New York Jets football as anyone in the modern era and was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor in 2022. Jets Vice Chairman Christopher Johnson perhaps said it best Sunday morning:

“Nick was the embodiment of consistency, strength, and leadership,” said Jets Vice Chairman Christopher Johnson. “For over a decade, he anchored our offensive line with unmatched skill and determination, earning the respect of teammates, opponents, and fans alike. His contributions on the field were extraordinary — but it was his character, humility, and humor off the field that made him unforgettable.”

Mangold announced on social media on October 14 that he had reached dire straits from a health perspective due to complications from a chronic kidney condition he had dealt with since 2006.

Tragically, just 12 days later, he is gone far too soon at just 41 years of age. He leaves behind a wife and four young children.