The status of Jets Pro Bowl center Nick Mangold remains uncertain for Sunday, three days after suffering a high ankle sprain in the Week 2 blowout win over Jacksonville.
For Mangold, who has started 82 straight regular season games — a stretch which dates back to his first game in the league five years ago — there is a furious push to making himself healthy on Sunday. Wearing a cast on his right leg that covered the entirety of his foot to just a few inches under his knee, Mangold was off crutches yesterday for the first time since his the injury.
“It feels better, a little tender walking around without the crutches,” Mangold said. “It’s getting better, that’s all we ask for.”
The Jets center is hopeful, even if it is a long-shot, of making the game on Sunday. He’s working with the team training staff to get himself ready and while he remains non-committal as to his availability to travel to Oakland, Mangold did say he’s feeling better.
But when asked if he was healthy enough to play a game on Wednesday, Mangold said he wouldn’t be able to.
“We’re progressing, we didn’t talk timeline, we didn’t talk anything,” Mangold said. “We’re going day-to-day. That’s how I want it.”
While Mangold clung to a glimmer of hope that he can keep his playing streak alive, head coach Rex Ryan gave even less of an endorsement.
“His status hasn’t changed at all. He’s off of crutches, which is a good sign, but I just think we’ll see,” Ryan said. “I’ll never say never, but I don’t see it happening this week.”
Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.
