Browns introduce Mangini as coach

Jan 8, 2009 - 4:48 PM CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- The Cleveland Browns formally introduced Eric Mangini as their new coach Thursday morning.

A former ballboy with the Browns, Mangini is the 12th coach in the history of the once-proud franchise which has fallen on hard times.

Mangini's appointment came less than two weeks after he was fired as coach of the New York Jets. He went 23-25 in three seasons with the Jets.

Mangini, 37, signed a four-year deal with the Browns, who again are in a rebuilding mode after going just 4-12 this past season under Romeo Crennel.

"I have a very distinct vision of what I want to build," Mangini said. "Having talented players with character. Playing selflessly driving toward the same goal. I'm going to be vigilant about that."

Mangini said he talked to Crennel, whom he served under as an assistant coach with the New England Patriots, and would like Crennel to stay on with the Browns as defensive coordinator.

Crennel, who was fired the same day the Jets let Mangini go, went 24-40 in four seasons as Browns coach.

As for his three years with the Jets, Mangini feels that he comes to Cleveland with a fresh outlook.

"I definitely do (feel like a different coach)," Mangini said. "You learn so much from your experiences. I learned so many things over three years that there's no handbook for. There's no dummies guide to head coaching."

Browns owner Randy Lerner has yet to decide on a general manager, but the frontrunner is George Kokinis, Baltimore's director of player personnel and a longtime friend of Mangini's

"I think he's impressive. He's got tremendous substance," Mangini said. "That being said, what's also important is getting the best possible people to fill all the roles in the organization."

Mangini coached the Jets to a 9-7 record this past 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.

Losing his job with the Jets was not something Mangini was worried about.

"It wasn't a focus of mine. Never," he said. "What I wanted to do ... the pressure is never about that. The pressure is about getting the players in the best position to successful."

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 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's disappointing season followed a 10-6 campaign 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.

Cleveland has made the playoffs just once since re-entering the league in 1999.