News like this doesn’t feel real. Nick Mangold, someone who was pretty much the face of the Jets’ offensive line for over a decade, gone at just 41. For fans, teammates and a city that loved him, it’s a really hard thing to process. It’s always hard to process the loss of someone so special. Still, you never really expect guys like Mangold to leave this world so early.
Mangold’s death Saturday night hit especially hard because of who he was. He wasn’t some flashy football player who was all about chasing attention. He just showed up, did his job and made the team around him better.
He played 11 seasons with the Jets and made seven Pro Bowls. Those statistics only tell a part of the story, but it’s not the part that mattered most. What matters was the person he was to those around him. If you look around and read the tributes posted about him, you’ll learn all about that really quickly (in the best way).
Off the field, Mangold’s battle with kidney disease showed another kind of strength. He spoke openly about it, and he had even asked for a kidney donor. This show of openness about his personal struggles shows both courage and vulnerability.
When news of his passing broke, tributes poured in. Former teammates called him a “rock.” Coach Rex Ryan broke down talking about him. Fans shared old photos of him signing autographs and smiling in that way only he could.
Mangold’s name won’t leave the Jets’ history books anytime soon, but more than that, he leaves an impact and a legacy behind to fulfill. He showed that you can be tough and kind, and you can give everything to a team and still be human (not just a football icon).
Nick Mangold was a Jet through and through. Gone too soon but impossible to forget.
