Copyright outkick
Jason Kelce may go down as one of the greatest centers in NFL history, but in his mind, he'll never measure up to Nick Mangold. Kelce paid an emotional tribute to Mangold on this week's episode of the New Heights podcast, days after the longtime Jets great died at just 41 years old from complications related to kidney disease. "A lot of people come up and tell me, ‘You’re the best center to ever play,’" Kelce said. "I get that from other people. And it’s hard to receive that, because I know in my heart that Nick Mangold at his best was 10 times the player that I ever was." Kelce called Mangold "phenomenal" and praised his dominance in every aspect of the game. "He was unbelievable in pass protection. He was an unbelievably smart leader in getting those guys on the same page, and he would murder people in the run game," Kelce said. "He was unbelievable when he was in the NFL. He was unbelievable at Ohio State. He was just a stud in every fashion." An All-American at Ohio State, Mangold was a first-round draft pick in 2006 and spent his entire 11-year NFL career with the Jets. He was a seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time First-team All-Pro. In 2022, Mangold was inducted into the Jets' Ring of Honor. He's survived by his wife Jenny and their four children. "It’s just a travesty that this happened at such a young age," Kelce added. "He’s got a whole f*cking family." Mangold had been battling chronic kidney disease since 2006 but didn't go public with his need for a transplant until earlier this month. "I always knew this day would come," Mangold wrote on social media, "but I thought I would have had more time." RELATED: Rex Ryan Cries On Air In Reacting To Death Of Former Player Nick Mangold Kelce noted that the Jets got their first win of the season just hours after the news of Mangold's passing. "I just think it’s really fitting," he said. "The spirit of Nick Mangold got this done."
