The New York Giants are mourning the loss of their former tight end Aaron Thomas, who has passed away at the age of 86.

The NFL franchise New York Giants has confirmed the death of an icon.

Former tight end Aaron Thomas has passed away at the age of 86, the Giants announced on Friday. Thomas played in 116 games for the Giants between 1962 and 1970.

He passed away on April 26 at his home in Corvallis, Oregon, according to the New York Giants. Thomas is survived by his wife and four children.

“He’s almost like the early version of Travis Kelce,” Thomas’ son Robb is quoted as saying in the Giants’ statement, “he was a tight end, but he ran really good routes and had a good feel for getting into open spaces.”

Decades after his career ended, Thomas was still ranked among the Giants’ top tight ends in numerous franchise rankings. “He was very proud of his years with the Giants and loved them,” Robb Thomas acknowledged.

Thomas was drafted in the fourth round by the San Francisco 49ers in 1961 and transferred to the Giants a year later.

He played in the NFL until 1970, then became a stockbroker in Los Angeles before Aaron Thomas went into the restaurant business with his father.

During the 1980s, the former tight end also tried his hand as head coach at Klamath Falls High School for three years.