Browns target Pioli, Mangini

The team has also lined up an interview with Falcons VP Rich McKay.

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Browns scheduled an interview with fired New York Jets coach Eric Mangini, the first step in what should be a busy week for the team.

Mangini, dismissed Monday by the Jets after they collapsed down the stretch and missed the playoffs, will meet with Browns owner Randy Lerner in the New York area.

Lerner has set up an interview for today with Scott Pioli, New England’s vice president of player personnel, the person said.

Lerner also received permission to interview Atlanta president Rich McKay. Falcons owner Arthur Blank granted the request as his team prepares for a wild-card game on Saturday. McKay’s interview is expected to take place on Thursday.

“Rich has had some casual conversations — I don’t think with Randy, but with someone else in their organization — but there have been no discussions on a face-to-face basis,” Blank told the AP. “We think Rich is an important part of the success of the franchise. He’s responsible for all the business side of our operations, helps [GM] Thomas [Dimitroff] tremendously with the salary cap and all of the [contract] negotiations, and he’s responsible for helping us as we go on a journey for a new stadium and a whole variety of other things.

“We’re hopeful Rich will stay in Atlanta and we certainly believe that, but on the other hand, we have to let the process take its course.”

Lerner wants to interview as many candidates as quickly as possible because he’s competing with several other teams.

Lerner, who lives on Long Island, has scheduled meetings with other coaching candidates, including New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, Tennessee defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, and New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who played college ball at John Carroll in Cleveland.

Spagunolo, who is also expected to talk with the New York Jets on Saturday, could meet with Lerner as early as today.

Another name that has surfaced in Cleveland’s coaching search is Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz.

The Boston Globe reported that if Pioli is hired, his first choice for coach would be Ferentz, who worked with Pioli in Cleveland for three seasons.

Ferentz said he hasn’t been contacted by the Browns.

“I’ve gotten into the habit of not commenting on that,” he said in Tampa, Fla. as the Hawkeyes prepared for Thursday’s Outback Bowl. “I’ve got a great job. I’m happy here. I’ve been at Iowa 10 years, so not much else to say on that topic.”

Pioli and Mangini both began their NFL careers in Cleveland under coach Bill Belichick and spent several seasons together with the Patriots.

Mangini, who started out as a public relations assistant with Browns in 1994, went 23-26 in three seasons and made the playoffs once with the Jets. However, after starting the season 8-3, the Jets lost to Denver, San Francisco, Seattle and Miami in the last five weeks, costing Mangini his job

The Browns are in complete rebuilding mode after coach Romeo Crennel and general manager Phil Savage were fired following a 4-12 season that began with playoff expectations coming off a 10-win season in 2007.

Lerner was unaware of Mangini’s firing when he met with reporters at Browns headquarters in Berea on Monday. But after learning of the 37-year-old’s ouster in New York, Lerner indicated he would approach Mangini, who had one year remaining on his contract with the Jets.

Mangini has ties to the Cleveland area. He is the brother-in-law of Cleveland Indians general manager Mark Shapiro.

Lerner began his search hoping to lure former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher to Cleveland. But during a meeting in New York on Saturday, Cowher told Lerner he had no plans to coach in 2009 and wanted his name removed from the list of candidates.

A Mangini-Pioli reunion in Cleveland would be interesting. The Belichick disciples worked closely in New England, where they were part of three Super Bowl-winning teams. But their relationship was tested after the infamous “Spygate” episode when Mangini accused the Patriots of videotaping the Jets’ defensive signals during the 2007 season opener.

Lerner wants to make sure they’ve patched up any differences before moving forward.

Mangini’s hiring could also lead to Crennel staying with the Browns, perhaps as their defensive coordinator. Crennel told Lerner he was open to staying, depending on who was brought in to replace him. Crennel and Mangini worked as defensive assistants on Belichick’s staff in New England from 2001-2004. When Crennel took the Cleveland job in 2005, Mangini replaced him as Belichick’s coordinator.

Mangini took over a 4-12 team in 2006 and led the Jets to a 10-6 record as a rookie, a turnaround that earned him the nickname “Mangenius” from the New York tabloids. But there was little love after the Jets went 4-12 last year, and in recent weeks Jets fans often aimed their frustration at Mangini.