NFL notebook

Mangini: ball boy to boss

Associated Press / January 9, 2009

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Introduced for the first time as Cleveland's coach, Eric Mangini stepped to the podium and his football life flashed before him.

This is where it all began.

"I feel like I should be getting some coffee or picking up some towels or something," he joked.

The ball boy returned as the boss. Mangini, fired by the New York Jets after their season finished with a December nosedive, took over the rebuilding Browns yesterday, completing a personal and professional career circle that started with him running errands in the early 1990s as an eager underling for then-Cleveland coach Bill Belichick.

The 37-year-old Mangini now has his dream job, the one he had a tough time convincing his mom was remotely possible when he came to Cleveland 14 years ago.

"I was a 23-year-old ball boy and I had to explain that to my mother," said Mangini, who signed a four-year contract. "I had student loans and it was a hard sell. I kept telling her, 'Mom, this is the Cleveland Browns. Do you understand? The Cleveland Browns.' "

Although he left to work in other NFL hot spots like Baltimore, New England, and New York, those Cleveland memories never left Mangini. So when Browns owner Randy Lerner called him last week for an interview - one day after the Jets dumped him after three seasons - Mangini knew it was time to return to his roots.

Mangini, who agreed to a four-year deal, is inheriting a team that went 4-12.

Favre not rushing

Brett Favre will take his time before deciding whether to return with the Jets next season. The 39-year-old quarterback told ESPN he's following the advice of Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum by not making a hasty decision. "He said he's not going to bother me for three or four weeks," Favre said. "He told me to do whatever, and he'd give me a call in a month. Maybe I will tell him my answer that day. But he told me to get away and don't even think about football." . . . Team owner Pat Bowlen wrapped up his first round of interviews for the Denver Broncos' head coaching vacancy when he met with Miami Dolphins secondary coach Todd Bowles. Bowlen and his inner circle will now huddle to determine if any of the candidates will be offered the job or whether a second round of interviews is needed. Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels interviewed last weekend. Former Pro Bowl linebacker Bill Romanowski, whose 16-year NFL career was marred by a bad temper and admitted use of designer steroid THG, said he sent Bowlen a lengthy PowerPoint presentation touting his credentials for the job. Romanowski has no official NFL coaching experience . . . Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier will interview with the Detroit Lions today for their head coaching job.