Longtime Jets center Nick Mangold announces team will release him

It’s not too often an offensive lineman becomes one of a franchise’s most recognizable players, but center Nick Mangold reached that level with the New York Jets.

On Saturday, Mangold announced that relationship with the Jets has come to an end.

In a tweet Saturday afternoon, Mangold said the Jets had decided to cut him after 11 seasons, seven Pro Bowls and two All-Pro nods.

Mangold will have a shot at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and is one of the best Jets players ever, but he missed eight games last season and was put on injured reserve with an ankle injury. Mangold just turned 33 and had a 2017 base salary of almost $6.1 million and a $2.4 million roster bonus due at the start of training camp, so the Jets decided to move on.

Mangold was one of the most recognizable Jets players over his time with the team, with his fantastic play and omnipresent lumberjack beard. He was the team’s first-round pick in 2006 and played 164 games. Before last season, he missed only four games through his first 10 NFL seasons.

Though Mangold comes with some risk now, there are a few NFL teams that could use him at center on a short-term deal. Even if Mangold continues his career with another team, he’ll always be known as a Jet.

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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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