Jason Kelce Remembers Nick Mangold Following His Death

Jason Kelce, a former Eagles player, honored the recently deceased Nick Mangold during a segment on his New Heights podcast. Kelce expressed deep admiration, stating that Mangold was “10 times the player I was.”

Since 2006, Mangold had been dealing with chronic kidney disease and had just revealed earlier this month that he urgently needed a kidney transplant.

Sadly, he passed away on Saturday night, with the Jets confirming the news the following day. He was only 41 years old.

On his podcast, Kelce showered praise on the Jets’ legend. He remarked, “You want to talk about one of the toughest, best offensive linemen to ever play the game,” while discussing with his brother, Travis Kelce, a tight end for the Chiefs. He further noted, “People often say, ‘You’re the best center that ever played,’ but that’s hard to take because deep down, I know that Nick Mangold, at his peak, was far superior to me.”

“You could never be that dominant at the center position. Nick was phenomenal,” Kelce continued. “He was incredibly smart in pass protection, got everyone on the same page, and excelled in the run game. Mangold was a standout, both in the NFL and during his college years at Ohio State. It’s just heartbreaking that his life was cut short.”

Mangold had an impressive 11-season career with the Jets, significantly contributing to the team’s appearances in the AFC Championship Games in both 2009 and 2010. Over his career, he was selected to the Pro Bowl seven times and earned All-Pro honors twice before retiring in 2016.

The Jets honored Mangold by including him in their Ring of Honor in 2022. “When considering offensive linemen over the last two decades, you can’t find anyone better than Nick Mangold,” Kelce concluded.