On Sunday, former New York Jets center Nick Mangold passed away at the age of 41 due to kidney disease complications. During ESPN’s Sunday Countdown, former Jets head coach Rex Ryan, who coached Mangold for six seasons, got emotional discussing Mangold’s tragic death.
“It’s brutal,” Ryan said. “Such a great young man. I had the pleasure of coaching him for all six years with the jets. I remember — it was obvious I was getting fired — my last game, Mangold’s injured, like injured. And he comes to me and he says, ‘I’m playing this game.’
“He wanted to play for me. That’s what I remember about this kid. He was awesome and just way too young. I feel so bad for his wife and family. Rough.”
Mangold played his entire career with the Jets from 2006-16. He was named First-Team All-Pro twice (2009, ’10), Second-Team All-Pro in 2011 and was a seven-time Pro Bowler during his career.
He played during the Jets’ runs to the AFC Championship Game in back-to-back seasons under Rex Ryan. Earlier this month, Mangold revealed he was diagnosed with a genetic defect that led to chronic kidney disease in 2006.
