Not a Jet.
The Jet.
If there was ever a player who represented the blue-collar, every-man Tri-State area spirit of the Jets, it was Mangold. And he took pride in that. Drafted out of the Ohio State University with the 29th pick of the first round in the 2006 NFL Draft, Mangold was a dominating force at the center position for the green and white for 11 seasons.
In those 11 seasons, Mangold was a two-time First-Team All-Pro, one-time Second-Team All-Pro and a seven-time Pro Bowler.
In 2022, the Jets recognized Mangold’s career when they inducted him into the Jets Ring of Honor. He is also currently among the top 52 modern-era players eligible to be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame this year.
After his final season with the Jets in 2016, Mangold remained a very vocal and an active ambassador for the Jets and even continued to live in and raise his family in New Jersey. For the past two seasons, Mangold had also been the offensive line coach at the Delbarton School in Morristown, in an effort to give back to the community that welcomed him with open arms.
Mangold was your normal, day-to-day, relatable guy who would’ve been everybody’s favorite neighbor if they lived next door to him, and he just also happened to be one of the most accomplished offensive linemen of his era.
His being both a superstar and “normal” in a world full of athletes who let success change who they are is why he is so beloved by Jets fans. Post retirement, it was not entirely unusual to even see Mangold out in the parking lot tailgating with fans at MetLife Stadium before Jets games, standing out with his giant frame, iconic big beard, trademark backward Jets cap and a beer in his hand.
Mangold was a barbecue aficionado, to the point where he launched his own “Mangold’s 74 BBQ Sauce” brand, and of course, he loved to be around Jet fans, so it fit that he would enjoy the tailgating scene.
On Oct. 14, 2024, Mangold reached out on social media to the Jet, Ohio State and Delbarton communities, revealing he was in need of a kidney donor and had been quietly suffering from chronic kidney disease since 2006. Just 11 short days later, on Oct. 25, Mangold tragically died at the age of 41.
Mangold will go down as many things. A team captain. A significant reason why the Jets reached back-to-back AFC Championship games in the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 seasons. A hero and role model to young Jet fans everywhere during his playing days.
Potentially someday, even an NFL Hall of Famer.
The New York Jet.
Most importantly, though, he will go down as a husband to his wife Jennifer and a father to his four children, Matthew, Eloise, Thomas and Charlotte.
