Few Ohio State football players lit up a room with the zest of life displayed by tough-as-nails Nick Mangold, who died of kidney disease at age 41.

Nick Mangold, a former All-American center at Ohio State who spent 11 seasons in the NFL with the New York Jets, has died.

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.