Cleveland hires Mangini as head coach
photo credit: Casey Lynn
The Cleveland Browns have hired former New York Jets coach Eric Mangini as their head skipper for next season. Mangini fired last week by the Jets, reportedly agreed on a four-year deal and will be introduced as head coach on Thursday. He began his career as a ballboy for the Browns in 1994 and he is now will take over for a recently fired Romeo Crennel.
Mangini went 23-25 and made the playoffs once in 3 seasons with the Jets, who faltered down the stretch to lose 4 of 5 games and miss the playoffs after an 8-3 start. Bringing in free agent big names like Brett Favre and all-pro Alan Faneca, wasn`t enough to keep his job.
Mangini takes over a Browns team with more talent than Crennel had when he arrived in 2005. Cleveland entered the 2008 season with high expectations after going 10-6 the previous year. But beginning with a training camp injury to wide receiver Braylon Edward, who cut open his foot while running in his socks after practice, the season went south quickly. Then Kellen Winslow Jr. was suspended for making remarks about the team. Quarterbacks Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson were both lost for the year due to injuries. All of this led to the firing of Crennel.
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