SAN FRANCISCO—Eric Mangini has been named the San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator.
Continuing a trend of promoting from within, Mangini is leaping from his position of tight-ends coach to the other side of the ball, where he will oversee one of football’s most talented defenses.
Though Mangini has spent the past two seasons working with the San Francisco offense, the coach once dubbed “Man-genius” has a decorated defensive coaching career.
Mangini served as defensive backs coach for the Patriots between 2000 and 2004, coaching a talented defensive backfield featuring names such as Ty Law and Rodney Harrison, a unit instrumental in launching New England’s ongoing dynasty.
After his promotion to a defensive coordinator in 2005, Mangini moved on to an up-and-down tenure as head coach of the Jets between 2006-2008. He later did a two-year stint with Cleveland between 2009-2010.
In 2015, as defensive coordinator of the 49ers, Mangini will have the opportunity to do what he does best, this time, with a tantalizing array of weapons to implement in his attacking 3-4 defense.
Replacing former coordinator Vic Fangio, who left San Francisco for the same position in Chicago, Mangini is signed to a three-year contract.
