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Former Jets teammates joined over 400 mourners to honor the life and legacy of beloved center Nick Mangold on Tuesday.
The funeral service was held at St. Vincent Martyr in Madison, N.J., and was livestreamed on the church’s website.
In a somber scene, former head coach Rex Ryan gathered with Darrelle Revis, Chad Pennington, D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Damien Woody and more fellow Gang Green members, per ESPN, to mourn the sudden loss of Mangold, who passed away on Oct. 25 due to complications with kidney disease.
He was just 41 years old.
“We will miss you my friend,” former kicker Jay Feely posted to X on Tuesday morning, along with a photo from outside the church.
Ex-Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick stepped on stage, took a deep breath and recited a passage from the Book of Proverbs.
“Blessed is the man for whom a good family lives,” Fitzpatrick read, “to whom work is a pleasure, by whom his friends are encouraged with whom others are comfortable, in whom a clear conscience abides.”
Hall of Famer Alan Faneca delivered a poignant eulogy while wearing a backwards green Jets hat, a nod to Mangold’s signature look.
“To help me today, I’m gonna use a little inspiration from Nick,” Faneca said as he put the hat on backwards, a gesture that drew laughs from throughout the chapel. “I think he’d approve.”
“Nick had this special ability to make everyone feel seen, valued and cared for. He had a gift for turning ordinary moments into memories, through his humor, kindness and his genuine heart.”
Among the pallbearers for the service was AJ Hawk, Mangold’s Ohio State teammate. Hawk wore a jacket with the former Jet’s No. 74 embroidered on the breast pocket and was seen wiping away tears while escorting Mangold’s casket into St. Vincent Martyr.
Mangold was diagnosed with a genetic effect in 2006 that led to chronic kidney disease, and the two-time Pro Bowler’s death came just two weeks after he announced on social media that he was in need of a transplant.
English (US)