Mangold says retirement not on mind
Nick Mangold retirement. In fact, he has intentions of returning to One Jets Drive next season. “I want to keep playing football and I want to do it here,” the 32-year-old Mangold said Wednesday in Florham Park, addressing reporters for the first time since being placed on injured reserve Dec. 8 with a right ankle injury. “When that time comes, we’ll talk about it.”
Mangold has one year remaining on his contract, but the $6.1 million he’s scheduled to make next season isn’t guaranteed. That means the Jets could cut Mangold after this season and owe him nothing, which is the likely course of action.
When asked if he’s willing to return to the Jets for less money, Mangold said, “We’ll cross is not mulling that bridge when we get there.”
Mangold seems prepared to play elsewhere in 2017 if he can’t come to terms with the Jets, though remaining with the organization that drafted him appears to be a priority.
“Shoot, I love football. I miss it dearly,” Mangold said. “So I’m planning on playing.”
Mangold wore a black cast on his lower right leg Wednesday. He said he hasn’t undergone surgery yet, but it remains a possibility. Surgery would not prevent him from being ready for training camp next season. Mangold wouldn’t specify the nature of his injury other than to say, “My foot hurts, and I’m trying to make it not hurt.”
“I got another two or three weeks of time before I can be re-evaluated and see where we’re at,” Mangold said.
This season has been unchartered territory for Mangold, who missed four starts in his first 10 years in the league.
He suffered a knee injury early in the season before severely spraining his right ankle against the Ravens on Oct. 23. He sustained a setback in practice that forced him to miss an additional three games. He returned against Indianapolis and was unable to finish the contest. The Jets shut him down four days later.
“I’ve been very fortunate injury-wise and to be able to go this long without even having a sniff of IR,” Mangold said. “It stinks this year. But hopefully I can continue on down the road.”
INJURY REPORT
RB Matt Forte (knee), LB Darron Lee (illness), WR Brandon Marshall (hip, shoulder), CB Nick Marshall (hamstring), RB Bilal Powell (knee), TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins (hamstring), RB Brandon Burks (illness) and CB Juston Burris (knee) did not practice Wednesday.
Bowles said Seferian-Jenkins has already been ruled out for Sunday’s season finale against the Bills at MetLife.
WR Robby Anderson (hamstring), LB Lorenzo Mauldin (ankle), DT Steve McLendon (hamstring), DT Sheldon Richardson (back) and DE Muhammad Wilkerson (ankle, knee) were limited.