On Sunday the NFL world suffered a terrible loss as news broke that former Jets legend Nick Mangold had died due to complications from chronic kidney disease at 41 years old. Mangold made his battle with kidney disease public knowledge earlier this month and the news of his death shook the football community.

It hit Rex Ryan particularly hard. Ryan coached Mangold for six seasons while he was head coach of the Jets. The former coach now works for ESPN and was live on-air Sunday to cover Mangold's death. He offered a very touching tribute to his former player and was unable to hold back his emotions during the segment.

"It's just... it's brutal," Ryan said while struggling to keep his composure. "Such a great young man. The pleasure of coaching him for all six years with the Jets.

"I remember, it was obvious I was getting fired. My last game Mangold's injured. Like, injured. He comes to me and says, 'I'm playing this game.' He wanted to play for me. That's what I remember about this kid. He was awesome and just way too young. I feel awful for his wife and family... Rough."

Ryan couldn't continue after that.

A heart-wrenching moment from Ryan. And his feelings about Mangold are shared across the NFL. His public reveal of his kidney issues showed how much he was appreciated in the football world.

A very sad moment for the Mangold family, Ryan, and the rest of the NFL.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Rex Ryan’s Emotional On-Air Tribute to Nick Mangold After Jets Legends’s Death.