Longtime New York Jets center Nick Mangold, who spent the 2017 season out of football after being released last offseason, has decided to officially bring an end to his NFL career. Mangold announced his retirement Tuesday via his Twitter account, releasing a statement detailing his love for the game, his thanks to friends, family, teammates, coaches, front office, and fans, and making it known that he will sign a one-day contract with the Jets next week so that he can retire as a member of the team. 

"I want to thank the fans for all their support," Mangold wrote. "To all the fans of the Centerville Wee Elks (we call them parents), Archbishop Alter High School (also parents but students and alumni as well), The Ohio State University (some casual and some die hard), and the New York Jets (all die hard as I have found), I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Mangold was the Jets' first-round pick out of Ohio State back in 2006, and he quickly became an important cog on the Rex Ryan-era playoff teams and one of the best centers in the league. Mangold made the Pro Bowl every season from 2008 through 2015 with the exception of 2012, and he was named a First Team All-Pro twice and a Second-Teamer once, as well. 

He was known for both his durability and reliability during his time in New York, missing just four games due to injury during his first 10 years with Gang Green. He ended his Jets career on injured reserve during the 2016 campaign, and the team cut him as one of several veteran cost-cutting maneuvers during the 2017 offseason. According to Pro-Football-Reference's Approximate Value, he was the most valuable center in football from the time he was drafted until the time he was cut.