Browns Hire Mangini
The Cleveland Browns have decided to hire Eric Mangini as their coach, an NFL source said this evening.
The hiring is to be announced Thursday, said the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the Browns had not officially confirmed the move.
Mangini was fired by the New York Jets after a 9-7 season in which the team unraveled late to miss the playoffs.
He replaces Romeo Crennel, who was dismissed by the Browns after the season.
The Browns also interviewed New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and their own defensive coordinator, Mel Tucker.
Browns owner Randy Lerner expressed interest in Mangini from the outset of the search. Even before the search began, Lerner was rebuffed by former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher, who told Lerner he wasn't interested in the job.
The hiring of Mangini leaves open the possibility that Crennel will remain with the Browns, perhaps as Mangini's defensive coordinator. Lerner and Crennel said when Crennel was fired that Crennel might stay. Crennel said it would be up to the club's new coach. Mangini previously was New England's secondary coach when Crennel was the Patriots' defensive coordinator, then succeeded Crennel as the defensive coordinator in New England.
Lerner was not dissuaded from hiring a second straight former Patriots defensive coordinator as his head coach.
The Browns still have not replaced their fired general manager, Phil Savage. Lerner interviewed Patriots front office chief Scott Pioli. But there were indications that Mangini would not have been Pioli's choice as coach. Pioli could stay in New England or go instead to Kansas City, where he interviewed for the Chiefs' general manager job.
The Browns also are scheduled to interview Philadelphia Eagles General Manager Tom Heckert and George Kokinis, the Baltimore Ravens' director of pro personnel. There had been speculation that Kokinis would get the job if Mangini was hired as the coach.
Mangini agreed to a four-year contract with the Browns, a source said.
Mangini entered the league as a Browns' ball boy in 1994, then became a public relations intern and gained the notice of then-coach Bill Belichick. Mangini was a member of the Browns' coaching staff in 1995, then moved with the franchise to Baltimore in 1996 and worked for Ted Marchibroda.
He had a record of 23-26 with the Jets, including 0-1 in the playoffs. The Jets won eight of their first 11 games this season after trading for quarterback Brett Favre in training camp. But they lost four of their final five games, and owner Woody Johnson and General Manager Mike Tannenbaum fired Mangini on the day after the season.
Lerner fired Crennel the same day after a 4-12 season in Cleveland. But Mangini does inherit a team with a promising young quarterback in Brady Quinn, who took over for Derek Anderson as the starter during the season before being sidelined by a broken finger.
By
Mark Maske
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January 7, 2009; 6:58 PM ET
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