Eric Mangini Eric Mangini ( born January 19 , 1971 ) is the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets of the National Football League ( NFL ) and current NFL analyst for ESPN . Playing career . High school . Mangini was a linebacker at Bulkeley High School in Hartford , Connecticut . College . Mangini played nose tackle at Division III Wesleyan University and holds the school ' s single - season ( 11 . 5 ) and career ( 36 . 5 ) sacks records . During the second semester of his junior and senior years , he coached the Kew Colts , a semi - professional football team in Melbourne , Australia , to two regional championships . Mangini joined the Chi Psi Fraternity that coaching mentor Bill Belichick , a Wesleyan alumnus , was part of two decades earlier . Coaching career . NFL . Assistant coach . 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 . His work ethic impressed Belichick , and the head coach was instrumental in promoting Mangini to a public relations intern , and later , an offensive assistant . After spending 1996 as an offensive assistant with the Baltimore Ravens , Mangini rejoined Belichick and spent three seasons as a defensive assistant with the New York Jets . When Belichick was hired as the New England Patriots head coach in 2000 , he brought along Mangini as his defensive backs coach . 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 position with New England in 2005 . Head coach . New York Jets . Mangini , 35 , became the youngest head coach in the NFL when he was hired by the Jets on January 17 , 2006 , to replace Herm Edwards . He 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 . He was quickly nicknamed " The Penguin " by receiver Laveranues Coles because of his waddle and fierce stare . In his first season , Mangini led the Jets to a 10 - 6 record and a postseason berth with NFL Comeback Player of the Year quarterback Chad Pennington . New York , which finished the previous year 4 - 12 , lost to New England in a wild - card playoff game . New York went 4 - 12 in 2007 , failing to make the playoffs . Early in the regular season , Mangini complained to league officials that Belichick ' s Patriots illegally filmed the Jets ' defensive signals , causing the " Spygate " scandal . In 2008 , a late - season collapse — the Jets missed the playoffs despite an 8 - 3 start — led to Mangini ' s firing on December 29 , 2008 , one day after the season ended . Cleveland Browns . Mangini was hired as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns on January 7 , 2009 , signing a four - year deal . He is only the second of 12 Browns head coaches to have prior NFL head coaching experience , joining Nick Skorich . Mangini faced early criticism in his tenure with Cleveland , with " Sports Illustrated " columnist Joe Posnanski going so far to call Mangini ' s hiring by the Browns as the worst coaching hire from the past 25 years . Mangini had a 10 - 22 record as the head coach of the Browns . On January 7 , 2010 it was announced that Mike Holmgren had decided to retain Mangini as head coach of the Browns for the 2010 season . On January 3 , 2011 Mike Holmgren fired Mangini as the head coach after two consecutive 5 - 11 seasons . Coaching Statistics . Coaching tree . NFL head coaches under whom Eric Mangini has served : Assistant coaches under Eric Mangini who became NFL head coaches : Personal life . Mangini and his wife Julie have three sons , Jake , Luke and Zack , whose middle names honor influential figures in his career . Jake Harrison is named after former Patriots safety Rodney Harrison , Luke William is named after Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and Zack Brett is named after former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre . Zack was born on Favre ' s 39th birthday , and Mangini had promised Favre that he would name his son after the quarterback if he signed with the Jets . Cleveland Indians President Mark Shapiro is Mangini ' s brother - in - law and sports agent Ron Shapiro , who currently represents him , is his father - in - law . Mangini had a cameo role in an episode of the mob drama " The Sopranos . " On August 4 , 2011 , it was announced that Mangini would join ESPN as an NFL studio analyst on " NFL Live " , " Sportscenter " , " ESPN First Take " , and other programs .