Browns name Mangini coach

Jan 7, 2009 - 11:05 PM CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- Eric Mangini was not out of work for long.

The Cleveland Browns on Wednesday named Mangini their new head coach - just 10 days after Mangini was fired by the New York Jets.

Mangini replaces Romeo Crennel, whom he served under as an assistant coach with the New England Patriots. He is expected to be formally introduced as the team's coach on Thursday.

Crennel, ironically, was fired on the same day as Mangini after posting a 24-40 record in his four seasons with Cleveland. Mangini reportedly is interested in retaining Crennel - most likely as his defensive coordinator.

Mangini, 37, coached the Jets to a 9-7 record this season, his second winning campaign since being hired away from the Patriots three years ago.

But after acquiring veteran quarterback Brett Favre - a three-time league MVP - prior to the season and being tabbed as a potential Super Bowl contender, the Jets faded down the stretch, authoring another late-season flop by losing four of their final five games.

Three of those losses came against teams that did not finish with winning records - Denver (8-8), San Francisco (7-9) and Seattle (4-12).

It was an unexpectedly empty finish for a Jets team that got off to an 8-3 start and stood alone atop the AFC East following road wins against New England and Tennessee.

A former assistant with the Patriots, Mangini posted a 23-25 regular-season record with the Jets. He guided New York to a 10-6 record and an unlikely postseason berth in his first season, earning himself the nickname "Man-genius."

But the Jets regressed to 4-12 last season, prompting a $140 million offseason overhaul capped by the acquisition of Favre, who arrived to a hero's welcome last summer after retiring, un-retiring and forcing a trade from the Green Bay Packers.

Mangini will have his hands full trying to revive the Browns, who set an NFL record for offensive futility by failing to score a touchdown in 24 quarters while dropping their final six games.

Cleveland finished 4-12 following a 10-6 season in 2007 that had made the team a trendy pick to contend for the AFC North title this past season.

The Browns were racked by injuries - most notably to quarterbacks Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson - and do have superb talents on offense in wide receiver Braylon Edwards and tight end Kellen Winslow.