Former New York Jets center Nick Mangold, a two-time All-Pro who remains one of the most popular players in the team’s history, said on social media on Tuesday that he has kidney disease and needs a transplant.

“I always knew this day would come, but I thought I would have had more time,” he wrote in a message directed to the Jets and Ohio State communities.

“While this has been a tough stretch, I’m staying positive and focused on the path ahead,” he said. “I’m looking forward to better days and getting back to full strength soon. I’ll see you all at MetLife Stadium & The Shoe very soon.”

A first-round draft pick and seven-time Pro Bowl selection who was enshrined in the Jets’ “Ring of Honor” in 2022, Mangold said he was diagnosed with a genetic defect in 2006 that has led to chronic ki

See Full Page