Mangold pleasantly surprised by new, quick deal
Nick Mangold was surprised by how quickly he and the Jets were able to hammer out a new deal that made him the highest-paid center in the NFL. Credit: AP
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Nick Mangold was already resigned to the fact that he wasn't getting a new deal anytime soon, had come to grips with playing out the final year of his contract before a new one came.
That all changed about two weeks ago, when owner Woody Johnson and general manager Mike Tannenbaum approached a surprised Mangold, telling how they wanted to lock him up with a new long-term deal.
"Woody and Mike sat me down and said, 'Hey, we'd like to get something done with you, we hope that we can get it done.' And hope worked out."
It worked out, all right. Mangold signed on the dotted line of a seven-year, $55-million deal with a reported $22.5 million in guarantees Tuesday. His contract makes the Pro Bowler the NFL's highest-paid center, topping the five-year, $37.5-million deal Rams center Jason Brown signed last year.
"I haven't really wrapped my head around it," Mangold said. "It came out of nowhere, went by really fast and here we are. I think it will take a couple of days to sink in and realize what's been going on."
Mangold was actually held out of the team portions of Tuesday's practice. It was a precautionary move conjured up by Rex Ryan. "I didn't want him to get hurt - no stepping in a hole, you're getting ready to sign," Ryan said. "It's a big contract, so that was my decision to keep him out of practice."
Said Mangold: "As close as it was, I'd shoot myself if something happened. I've never gone through it before. I've never gone through a situation before of having a contract right there ready to be signed. I didn't really know and kind of wanted to play it safe as best I could. I still got good work in on individual and kind of skipped out on the team stuff."
Mangold now has the security that he's longed for these last few months, and is excited he'll be donning a Jets uniform for years to come.
"It's a dream that kids have as they grow up, being able to play in the NFL and being able to do it at a high level," he said. "I'm appreciative of everyone who's helped me along the way. It's exciting and I look forward to seeing where we can go with it now that I'll be here for quite some time."
