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Report: Eric Mangini hired as San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator

By Phil Watson

Sep 25, 2014; New York, NY, USA; San Fransisco 49ers tight end coach Eric Mangini waves to the fans before the game between the New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers at Metlife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/NJ Advance Media for NJ.com via USA TODAY Sports
Sep 25, 2014; New York, NY, USA; San Fransisco 49ers tight end coach Eric Mangini waves to the fans before the game between the New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers at Metlife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/NJ Advance Media for NJ.com via USA TODAY Sports /
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According to a report, the San Francisco 49ers have signed Eric Mangini to a three-year deal to be their defensive coordinator.

After a season as the tight ends coach for the San Francisco 49ers, Eric Mangini is reportedly switching sides.

According to a report, Mangini has agreed to a three-year deal to be the defensive coordinator for the 49ers, succeeding Vic Fangio, who left to take the same position with the Chicago Bears.

It is just Mangini’s second job as a coordinator in the NFL. He was the defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots in 2005 before being hired as head coach of the New York Jets.

Mangini came to the 49ers as a senior offensive consultant in 2013 after a two-year stint as an NFL analyst for ESPN. He moved to tight ends coach for the 2014 season.

The 44-year-old coached the Jets for three seasons and the Cleveland Browns for two from 2006-10, going 23-25 in New York and 10-22 in Cleveland.

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He also lost his lone postseason game with the Jets in 2006.

The Connecticut native began his coaching career as an offensive assistant with the Baltimore Ravens in 1996 before going to work as a defensive assistant for the Jets from 1997-99 under then-defensive coordinator Bill Belichick.

Mangini followed Belichick to New England in 2000, serving five seasons as defensive backs coach from 2000-04 before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 2005.

That was followed by the coaching gigs in New York and Cleveland. While with the Jets, Mangini earned the nickname (briefly) of Mangenius while leading the Jets to a 10-6 season in 2006 that ended with an AFC Wild Card Game loss to the Patriots.

He also had a cameo on The Sopranos, where he was referred to by his nickname.

Mangini also interviewed for the defensive coordinator position with the Washington Redskins earlier this month. He was also a candidate for the Oakland Raiders’ head coaching job, then reportedly talked about the defensive coordinator post with Jack Del Rio, who ultimately got the head coaching gig across the Bay.

Mangini’s spot as tight ends coach will be filled by Tony Sparano, who was interim coach of the Raiders for the final 10 games of the 2014 campaign.

It’s that whole circle of coaching life thing at work.

The Patriots had the 26th-ranked defense in Mangini’s one season as coordinator. The 49ers have been in the top five in total defense each of the last four seasons.

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