‘I Was Optimistic He Would Get a Donor Match’: Brett Favre Opens Up on Nick Mangold’s Tragic Passing

The NFL world is mourning the sudden loss of former New York Jets center Nick Mangold, a devoted husband, loving father of four, strong leader, and an even better teammate. Earlier this October, Mangold had shared that he’d been diagnosed with a kidney disease and was in need of a transplant. His family members weren’t a match, so the two-time All-Pro even made a heartfelt public plea for help.

Mangold stayed hopeful. He mentioned recently that he was feeling better than he had in the month of August, when he was quietly fighting his battle away from the spotlight. The chronic kidney disease stemmed from a genetic disorder he was diagnosed with back in 2006, the same year he entered the NFL as a first-round pick.

At just 41, his passing has naturally left many heartbroken, including Brett Favre, who spent only one season with Mangold in New York. But during that short time, they built quite a bond, one that had lasted all these years.

“We had a great relationship… Even though I was with the Jets for a year, I left a lot of friends behind, and Nick would be one of them. Just a super guy, a great family guy, four kids, wonderful wife, [he was] so young, 41,” said the former QB on 4th and Favre.

Favre truly believed that his friend would pull through and that someone out there would be a match. Sadly, fate had other plans.

“Honestly, I felt like I got kicked in the stomach by the most ferocious horse out there. And I mean, it just hit me like a ton of bricks,” Favre said of the sudden passing.

“I had saw… where he made a public plea for a kidney. No one in his family was a match. And so, I was optimistic that someone would come forward with a match and he would be fine,” he added.

Former Jets head coach Rex Ryan, who coached Mangold throughout his entire stint in the Big Apple from 2009 to 2014, also shared a few words about the sudden loss, breaking down in tears as he spoke.

Rex Ryan mourns the loss of his former player Nick Mangold following his death from kidney disease. pic.twitter.com/xhpJJ0yue3

— ESPN (@espn) October 26, 2025

Even Jason Kelce, who has played the position for 13 years, expressed his sadness over the heartbreaking news.

“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 red game,” Jason also said on New Neights. “He was unbelievable when he was in the NFL. He was unbelievable at Ohio State.”

Mangold spent his entire 11-year career with the Jets. He was a seven-time Pro Bowler and started 171 games in total. Mangold is survived by his wife, Jenny, two sons, Matthew and Thomas, and two daughters, Charlotte and Eloise.