As expected, the Cleveland Browns have fired head coach Eric Mangini one day after the 2010 NFL season ended. FOX's Jay Glazer has been reporting for several weeks that Mangini was expected to be fired at the end of the year. Mangini was hired prior to the 2009 season after coaching the New York Jets for three seasons. His teams in Cleveland went 5-11 in both 2009 and 2010 so his exit doesn't come without a good reason.
Eric Mangini Fired: Browns, Mike Holmgren Decide To Move On
“This decision was not easy for me, and it was one into which I put a great deal of thought,” said Browns President Mike Holmgren in a statement. “Although we have made improvements this season, my responsibility is to ensure that we establish a program that will allow this team to compete at a championship level. That will continue to be our goal in everything we do.”
Holmgren and the Browns will now search for their replacement though that is not expected to be Holmgren himself. Though there’s been speculation that he could hire himself as head coach the early indications are that he will hire someone else.
This is the second consecutive job from which Mangini was fired in less than three seasons so it’s hard to believe he’ll return to the head coaching ranks right away.
"I have a deep respect for the players that I have coached the past two years and how they have made a profound difference in changing the culture - a tougher, smarter, more competitive, selfless team that never gave up," Mangini said in a statement. "Our goal was to build a team for long term success. The core characteristics we were dedicated to, I believe, will help achieve that goal, and have provided a strong identity for this football team and have helped to create a positive foundation upon which the organization can continue to build."
Check out SB Nation Cleveland and Dawgs By Nature for more on the news.
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