Jets players speak out following Nick Mangold’s passing

The entire New York Jets family was crushed to learn of the passing of former Pro Bowl center Nick Mangold due to complications from kidney disease.

Mangold, 41, was one of the best players in team history and a member of the franchise’s Ring of Honor. He was beloved by fans and members of the organization, both past and present.

Spurred on by the grief of losing such an important individual in the lives of so many, the Jets responded with a 39-38 comeback victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

After the game, while the team began celebrating, many players in the locker room reflected on what Mangold meant to them.

Jets reflective on Nick Mangold’s passing

Among the first players to comment on Mangold’s passing was current Jets guard/center Joe Tippmann. Originally taken in the second round out of Wisconsin as a center, Tippmann was compared to the Jets’ former star from the very beginning.

“My heart goes out to his family,” Tippmann said after the win on Sunday. “I wanted to go out there and win this for him. The way he welcomed me when I was drafted, being a center, he was with open arms, anything I needed the whole time, so to lose a great man like that, my heart goes out to his family.”

Soon after, other players began to post on social media about the passing of the 41-year-old.

“RIP Nick Mangold,” Garrett Wilson said. “A great Buckeye and Jet. I am devastated to hear this, and will hold on to the insight you’ve given me over these past few years. RIP Legend, you will be missed.”

Even after his retirement in 2016, Mangold’s legacy was such that other legends knew just how devastating a loss it was to no longer have him around. One of those legends, head coach Aaron Glenn, made it clear how special the center was for the franchise.

“He was the heart and soul of this team,” Glenn said. “Prayers go out to him and his family.”

Sunday’s win against Cincinnati was a testament to how Mangold approached the game. The three-time All-Pro embodied everything Jets fans expect out of their players: physicality, toughness, and a desire to be great.

“Everyone take some time and say a prayer for Nick Mangold,” running back Breece Hall posted to social media. “A true Jet. Heartbreaking loss for this organization. Sending my condolences to his family and friends!”

Remembering Nick Mangold

If someone needed a reminder of how special a person Mangold was to the Jets, take a look at former head coach Rex Ryan’s feelings on ESPN’s Sunday Countdown.

It’s never easy to replace a legend. Mangold did that spectacularly in his own right. Kevin Mawae, a future Hall-of-Fame center for the Jets, left New York in 2006 following an eight-year run with the team.

Mangold, the 29th pick in the 2006 draft, came in and made an instant impact. He reached the Pro Bowl seven times, tied with future Hall-of-Famer Jason Kelce at the center position.

His two first-team All-Pro seasons in 2009 and 2010 coincided with the franchise’s best moments over the last half century. During that run, New York reached the AFC title game in back-to-back years, earning road playoff wins over Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Phillip Rivers, and Carson Palmer.

Mangold’s death is devastating news for the Jets family. As the team is left picking up the pieces of his passing, the organization hopes to play and carry itself the same way he did throughout his 11-year career.