This NFL Sunday started with the tragic news: Former New York Jets center Nick Mangold passed away.
Mangold, 41, had been dealing with kidney disease, something he shared publicly two weeks ago in hopes of finding a kidney donor.
The Jets announced the his death Sunday morning as the team was preparing to play the Cincinnati Bengals not far from where Mangold was born and raised in southwest Ohio.
‘More Than a Legendary Center’
The Jets chose Mangold 29th overall in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft, and he became an instant starter for the team.
“Nick was more than a legendary center,” Jets chairman Woody Johnson said in a news release. “He was the heartbeat of our offensive line for a decade and a beloved teammate whose leadership and toughness defined an era of Jets football.
“Off the field, Nick’s wit, warmth, and unwavering loyalty made him a cherished member of our extended Jets family.”
Along with fellow first-round pick D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Mangold anchored a Jets offensive line that helped the team make three playoff appearances from 2006-10.
That included a pair of appearances in the AFC Championship Game.
Mangold was named first-team All-Pro in 2009 and ’10 then made second-team All-Pro in ’11.
He was voted to the Pro Bowl from 2008-11 and again in ’13-15, and his seven Pro Bowl selections are one shy of the Jets franchise record held by Pro Football Hall of Fame tackle Winston Hill.
Mangold was inducted into the Jets Ring of Honor in 2022, and earlier this month he was announced as one of 52 modern-era players to still be in consideration for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Rest easy Nick Mangold.. My positive prayers & thoughts are with his family
Thru AJ, I’ve learned so much about him. The man, the dad, the husband, the teammate, the EVERYTHING great he was for everybody in his life.
The world lost a damn good man and obviously a legendary… pic.twitter.com/f675oNQFpV
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 26, 2025
Native Ohioan finds home in New Jersey
Mangold grew up in Centerville, Ohio, and signed with Ohio State as an under-the-radar recruit from Kettering Alter High School in the class of 2002.
He ended up being in the rotation for the OSU offensive line as a true freshman late in their 2002 national championship season and went on to become an All-American center for the Buckeyes.
The Ohio State football program is saddened by the news of Nick Mangold’s passing and sends heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/cvYMOGJ5iC
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) October 26, 2025
“On behalf of the entire Johnson family and the New York Jets organization, we offer our sincere condolences to Jenny, their four children — Matthew, Eloise, Thomas, and Charlotte — as well as to Nick’s extended family, friends, and all who loved him,” said Woody Johnson.
“Nick Mangold will forever be a Jet.”
After his career ended, Mangold settled in New Jersey and was an active member of the community.
He announced earlier this month he was in need of a kidney transplant as a result of a genetic defect that was diagnosed in 2006.
“I’m undergoing dialysis as we look for a kidney transplant,” he wrote on social media. “I always knew this day would come, but I thought I would have more time.”
The news of his death broke shortly before NFL pregame shows began airing, and many members of the NFL community shared their shock at the news and expressed their condolences for the Mangold family.
