Former Jets Star Asks Fans for a Kidney

A former NFL star needs a kidney, and he's turning to fans for help. Nick Mangold, a Pro Bowl center who played for the New York Jets, made his plea for a donor with type O blood on social media, reports ABC News. "This isn't an easy message to share, but I want to be open about what's been happening with me and my health," the 41-year-old wrote in a statement addressed to "my NY Jets and Ohio State Buckeye communities."

Mangold, who was diagnosed with a genetic defect in 2006, is currently on dialysis and says no family members are able to donate. "I always knew this day would come, but I thought I would have had more time," he wrote. He asked potential donors to see if they might be a match through the Kidney Transplant Program at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Mangold was a first-round draft pick in 2006 and went on to have an 11-year career with the Jets, earning seven Pro Bowl nods before retiring in 2018.

"While this has been a tough stretch, I'm staying positive and focused on the path ahead," Mangold wrote. "I'm looking forward to better days and getting back to full strength soon." ESPN notes that Mangold remains popular in the Jets community—he "endeared himself to teammates and fans with his blue-collar toughness and every-man personality."