Philadelphia Eagles ex-center Jason Kelce pays emotional tribute to New York Jets legendary player Nick Mangold

New York Jets legendary center Nick Mangold’s departure at the age of 41 due to complications from chronic kidney disease on October 25 has left everyone in the NFL fraternity numb and in mourning.

One in particular—who must have been only four years junior to him. Philadelphia Eagles former center Jason Kelce took to his New Heights podcast’s latest episode to pay an emotional tribute to the magnificent center that he once looked up to and felt, “I know in my heart that Nick Mangold at his best was ten times the player than I ever was.”

From one quarterback of the offensive line (Jason Kelce) to another (Nick Mangold)

In a promo for the latest New Heights podcast episode, Jason Kelce paid an emotional tribute to Jets legend Nick Mangold.

Kelce said that when he thinks of the best offensive linemen from the past two decades, Mangold is at the top of his list. The center added that Mangold was exceptional in pass protection and would “murder people in the run game.” The father-of-four (just like Nick Mangold) also admitted that when people called him the best center in the NFL, he felt he could never match Mangold’s dominance.

Kelce concluded that Mangold always united his teammates and was outstanding both in the NFL and at Ohio State.

Nick Mangold was ten times the player than Jason Kelce ever was

“Obviously, it’s being talked about…Nick Mangold passing. He’s been struggling with the genetic disorder and needed a new kidney,” Kelce said in the preview. “And you wanna talk about one of the stalwarts like best offensive linemen to ever play the game. A lot of people come up and tell me, ‘You’re the best center to ever play.’ Like I get that from other people, and it’s hard to receive that ‘cause I know in my heart that Nick Mangold at his best was ten times the player than I ever was.

Like, I could never be that dominant at the center position.”

“Nick was phenomenal. He was unbelievable in pass protection. He was an unbelievably smart leader—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. It’s just a travesty that this happened at such a young age; he’s got a whole family. Like when you think about offensive linemen over the past two decades—like the best of the best, you don’t look any further than Nick Mangold.

”Nick Mangold was a seven-time Pro Bowler; Jason Kelce is also a seven-time Pro Bowler. Mangold never won a Super Bowl, but Kelce is the Super Bowl LII champion. Mangold played 164 games in 11 NFL seasons, while Kelce played 193 games in 13 NFL seasons. Jets legend acquired two First-Team All-Pro selections, while Kelce has six First-Team All-Pro selections. Mangold spent his entire career with the New York Jets, and so did Kelce–he only played for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Mangold retired in 2018, and six years later, Kelce retired from the Eagles. Also Read: Retired NFL Star Nick Mangold's Cause of Death Revealed