Mangini is Lerner’s next man

January 8, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

The fired Jets coach will be introduced today as the new Browns head coach.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Eric Mangini is the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns, a week after being fired by the New York Jets.

A person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press that Mangini will be introduced today at a news conference at the team’s headquarters in Berea.

Mangini agreed to a four-year deal with the club Wednesday, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because contract details had yet to be finalized.

Mangini began his NFL career as a ballboy with the Browns in 1994 under then-coach Bill Belichick. Now he’s taking over the job of one of his best friends in football, fired Browns coach Romeo Crennel.

Mangini went 23-25 and made the playoffs once in three seasons with the Jets, who stumbled down the stretch to lose four of their last five games and miss the playoffs after an 8-3 start.

His tenure in New York was tumultuous. When he arrived, Mangini inherited a 4-12 Jets team and led them to 10 wins in his first season, prompting New York’s tabloids to dub him “Mangenius.” By the end of his run in the NFL’s largest market, he was being called moody, dour and controlling.

Mangini took the fall after the Jets finished a disastrous stretch where they lost to Denver, San Francisco and Seattle — three non-playoff teams — in the final month behind 39-year-old quarterback Brett Favre’s injured arm and questionable play calling by Mangini.

Mangini and Crennel both lost their jobs on Dec. 29, although Browns owner Randy Lerner was not aware of Mangini’s dismissal when he met with the media regarding Crennel.

Lerner wasted no time in going after Mangini and interviewed him the following night in the New York area.Despite the Jets’ meltdown, Lerner was enamored with Mangini’s potential and believed he would bring discipline to the underachieving Browns. Lerner also believed Mangini, who will be 38 on Jan. 19, learned from his mistakes in New York.

Jets running back Leon Washington said in an e-mail to The Associated Press that he was pleased to see Mangini land another head coaching job.

“I am really happy for Coach Mangini,” Washington said in the e-mail. “I learned so much from him while he had his tenure with the Jets. His hardworking, selfless and competitive approach really helped me ... The Browns got themselves a really good coach.”

Jets long snapper James Dearth said the Browns are a good fit for Mangini. “They run the same type of defense there, so they already have the right personnel for him. I hope he does well there.”

Mangini’s hiring could lead to Crennel remaining with the Browns. After his dismissal, Crennel told Lerner he was open to staying as an assistant, depending on who replaced him.

Mangini and Crennel became friends during their days as assistants with the Jets under Bill Parcells. Mangini was a defensive assistant, and Crennel was the defensive line coach from 1997-99. Mangini followed Belichick to New England in 2000, and Crennel joined the Patriots’ staff a year later after a stint as Cleveland’s defensive coordinator.

Crennel and his wife, Rosemary, stayed with Mangini and his wife, Julie, when the Crennels were having a home built after Romeo took the job as New England’s defensive coordinator.

When Crennel was hired as Cleveland’s coach, he wanted Mangini as his defensive coordinator but Mangini decided to take over Crennel’s spot with the Patriots instead.

Mangini was one of four candidates interviewed, but the only one with NFL head coaching experience — a prerequisite for Lerner, who also spoke with New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Browns defensive coordinator Mel Tucker.