🔗 Share this article Jets Icon Nick Mangold Passes Away at 41 While Pursuing Kidney Transplant Nick Mangold, an adored athlete during his 11-season career with the Jets franchise, has died at the young age of 41. Medical Battle and Public Appeal Earlier in the month, Mangold revealed he had been undergoing dialysis and required a kidney transplant. He reached out for assistance from supporters of the Jets and Ohio State, where he was a star in his collegiate years. “In 2006, I was found to have a genetic defect that has resulted in chronic kidney disease. After a difficult summer, I’m on dialysis as we look for a kidney transplant,” he stated at the time. “I always knew this day would come, but I believed I would have had longer. “Sadly, I do not have any relatives able to donate at this time, so this is why I’m reaching out to you, our Jets and Ohio State families. I am in search of a kidney donor with type O blood.” Storied Football Career Mangold was a first-round pick out of Ohio State for the Jets in 2006. He dedicated his whole professional football career with the team, earning 7 trips to the Pro Bowl and was an All-Pro on two occasions before he stepped away in 2016. During that era, the center fortified an offensive line alongside D’Brickashaw Ferguson that helped the Jets advance to two AFC championship games. He is currently a candidate for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Mangold’s resilience was widely admired and he sat out only 4 games in his initial ten seasons in the league. “Nick was more than a legendary center,” franchise ownership stated in a release. “He was the core of our O-line for a ten years and a beloved teammate whose leadership and grit characterized an era of Jets football. Off the field, Nick’s wit, kindness, and steadfast dedication made him a cherished member of our extended Jets family.” Fan Favorite and Post-Retirement Life Mangold was a massive favourite with fans, recognized for his long hair, beard, charitable work and engaging character. He was active on social media and was rarely seen without his reverse baseball cap. He was a frequent attendee to Jets games after his retirement – he chugged a beer while being inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor in 2022 – and stayed in the area when his career were over, becoming an assistant coach for Delbarton High School in Morristown, New Jersey. “You get to mold young men into men and teach the sport of football, but also impart them a little bit about the world as you go along,” Mangold told the press in 2024. Former coach Rex Ryan, who led Mangold at the Jets, was emotional as he remembered his former player on television. “It’s brutal,” Ryan commented. “Such a wonderful person. I had the pleasure of coaching him for all six years with the Jets. I recall it was clear I was getting fired, my final match, Mangold’s hurt – like, seriously hurt – and he approaches to me and states, ‘I’m playing this game.’ And he wanted to play for me.” Family Life and Legacy Mangold was wed to his longtime partner, Jenny, with whom he had four children, Matthew, Eloise, Thomas, and Charlotte. His sibling, Holley, competed for USA at the London Games in the sport of weightlifting. When he announced his illness he praised his family, saying they had “been my support every phase of the way. This circumstance has reminded me how fortunate I am to have such an incredible home, companions, and network behind me.”