Mark Sanchez is grieving the loss of his former teammate Nick Mangold, sharing a heartfelt post to social media amid his own legal woes.
The former Jets quarterback posted to X hours after news broke that his former center passed away from kidney disease … writing the world lost a very good football player — and an even better man.
Mark Sanchez believes his pal will end up in the NFL’s Hall of Fame eventually … but, adds his legacy will be so much larger than that — ’cause he made a lasting impact on so many others.
Mark Sanchez calls him, ” my big brother who introduced me to the NFL. He showed me the ropes. He was my friend and confidant. He was a role model and a great father to his children and husband to his wife.” Mark ends the statement by simply adding he will be missed … and telling Mangold to “rest easy.”
It’s the longest statement Sanchez has made in weeks since he was arrested in Indianapolis for battery resulting in serious bodily injury (a Level 5 felony), plus battery resulting in bodily injury, unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle, and public intoxication that endangers another’s life, all misdemeanors after allegedly attacking a 69-year-old man.
Sanchez has spoken to reporters briefly in the weeks since … but stuck to a few short phrases mainly focused on his recovery since he suffered a stab wound during the alleged altercation
The New York Jets announced Mangold’s death Sunday … less than two weeks after Mangold opened up about a rare genetic disease from which he was suffering that led to him needing a kidney.
Mangold was drafted by the Jets in the first round of the 2006 draft and remained with them his whole career … racking up 7 Pro Bowl appearances. Sanchez played four seasons with Mangold — from his rookie year in 2009 through 2012.