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Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane paid an emotional tribute to the late NFL star Nick Mangold as he recalled an emotional moment of briefly meeting him at a New York Jets game. Continuing to pay his respects to the seven-time Pro Bowl center, Keane proudly sported Mangold’s signed Jets jersey on this week’s Stick To Football podcast, an act that’s taken on deeper meaning in the wake of the star’s tragic passing. He remembered the night in 2023 when he had met Mangold at a Jets game. ”A player I met two years ago, Nick Mangold, played for the Jets. I only met him briefly,” Keane shared, voice breaking with emotion. ADVERTISEMENT The tribute aired less than a week after devastating news broke confirming Mangold’s death at age 41. The former New York Jets great died on Wednesday, October 25, due to complications related to kidney disease, a condition he had fought since 2006. Mangold had recently shared an emotional letter on social media detailing his health struggles and calling on fans for a kidney donor, as none of his family members shared his blood type. Since his passing, accolades have kept flowing from all corners of the NFL. ADVERTISEMENT “He was the heartbeat of our offensive line for a decade,” said Jets chairman Woody Johnson. “And a beloved teammate whose leadership and toughness defined an era of Jets football.” ADVERTISEMENT Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports An emotional Rex Ryan, who coached Mangold from 2009 through 2014, also opened up at ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown. “Such a great young man. I had the pleasure of coaching him for all six years with the Jets.” Former teammate Willie Colon added, “I wanted to play with Nick Mangold. And there were times where, emotionally, I was a wreck, and he always had my back.” Meanwhile, on the Stick To Football podcast, Roy Keane talked about Rodgers, too. ADVERTISEMENT Keane on his meeting with Rodgers Roy Keane opened up on how that memorable meeting unfolded, a night which now stands both as a sporting milestone and a poignant reminder of a brief but powerful connection. “I went to a Jets game about two years ago, I think it was [Aaron] Rodgers’ first game for the Jets. I met him [Mangold] before the game, gave me a presentation for PR, he signed on the back.” That night was Aaron Rodgers’ long-awaited debut in green and white, the four-time NFL MVP traded from the Green Bay Packers to the New York Jets in April 2023 after a blockbuster deal that sent him on a similar late-career path as his predecessor, Brett Favre. ADVERTISEMENT But he went down with a season-ending Achilles injury in his debut game, just after four snaps (September 2023), leaving the MetLife Stadium crowd in stunned silence. Yet, the moment was never forgotten. After two injury-plagued, turbulent seasons, he was released early in 2025 and signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. For Keane, though, that night wasn’t about results; it was about connection. A casual exchange between two athletes became a symbol of respect that, even now, feels forever amplified by tragedy. Wearing a signed jersey on Stick To Football, Keane’s gesture resonated deeply with fans on both sides of the Atlantic, a quiet but powerful reminder of sports’ ability to unite people across codes, continents, and moments in time.
