Former New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan reacted to the tragic news of Nick Mangold’s sudden death. The team announced that the legendary center passed away on Sunday at age 41.
Mangold passed away due to complications from kidney disease. The terrible news came two weeks after he made his diagnosis public. Mangold awaited a kidney transplant before he sadly left this world.
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During Sunday’s edition of NFL Countdown, Ryan struggled to keep his composure while talking about the player he coached from 2009 through 2014.
“It’s just… it’s brutal,” Ryan said. “Such a great young man. The pleasure of coaching him for all six years with the Jets.
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“I remember, it was obvious I was getting fired. My last game Mangold’s injured. Like, injured. He comes to me and 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 awful for his wife and family… Rough.”
The Jets selected Mangold with the No. 29 overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. Despite not being on a competitive team, Mangold made a strong impact on the Jets during his 10-season career with the “Gang Green.”
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He was a two-time First-team All-Pro, a one-time Second-team All-Pro, a seven-time Pro Bowler and a member of the Jets Ring of Honor.
Many people shares Ryan’s sentiment around he league. Mangold was highly respected among his peers and the news of his kidney disease took a lot of people aback. Stories like Ryan’s remind people that he was a much better person than he was a player.
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