17 Facts About Eric Mangini

Eric Mangini is a former head coach, having served as the coach of the New York Jets from 2006 until 2008 and the Cleveland Browns in 2009 and 2010.

Eric Mangini is known for being a former assistant under Bill Belichick, serving under him as a defensive assistant while Belichick was the defensive coordinator with the Jets and later following him to the New England Patriots, where he succeeded Romeo Crennel as defensive coordinator in 2005 after Crennel took the head coaching position with the Browns.

Eric Mangini was a linebacker at Bulkeley High School in Hartford, Connecticut.

Eric Mangini played nose tackle at Division III Wesleyan University and holds the school's single-season and career sacks records.

Eric Mangini joined the Chi Psi fraternity that coaching mentor Bill Belichick, another Wesleyan alumnus, was part of two decades earlier.

Eric Mangini first caught the attention of Bill Belichick, under whom he would coach for nine seasons, as a 23-year-old ball boy with the Cleveland Browns.

Eric Mangini, who won three Super Bowls with the Patriots, turned down defensive coordinator positions with the Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns before accepting the role with New England in 2005.

Eric Mangini, 35, became the youngest head coach in the NFL when he was hired by the New York Jets on January 17,2006, to replace Herm Edwards.

Eric Mangini beat internal candidates Donnie Henderson, Mike Heimerdinger and Mike Westhoff and external candidates Jim Haslett, Mike Tice, Tim Lewis and Joe Vitt for the job.

Eric Mangini was quickly nicknamed "The Penguin" by receiver Laveranues Coles because of his waddle and fierce stare.

Early in the regular season, Eric Mangini complained to league officials that Belichick's Patriots illegally filmed the Jets' defensive signals, exposing the "Spygate" scandal.

Eric Mangini was hired as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns on January 7,2009, signing a four-year deal.

Eric Mangini faced early criticism in his tenure with the Browns for his tendency to micromanage the team and his disregard for the team's history.

Sports Illustrated columnist Joe Posnanski went so far as to call Eric Mangini's hiring by the Browns as the worst coaching hire from the past 25 years.

Jackson wrote that Eric Mangini's coaching style had so alienated his players that they seemed "deep in despair" with "no fight left in them" only a few months after Eric Mangini took over.

Eric Mangini was hired by the San Francisco 49ers as a senior offensive consultant on June 4,2013.

Eric Mangini had a cameo role in the penultimate episode of the crime drama The Sopranos.