The NFL rumor mill has wasted no time in kicking out a fresh name to connect to the head gig for the Oakland Raiders.
Former New York Jets and Cleveland Browns head coach and current San Francisco 49ers tight ends coach Eric Mangini has apparently been tapped as a possible replacement for the deposed Dennis Allen and the interim Tony Sparano.
"49ers assistant Eric Mangini slated to interview with the Raiders for their head coaching job, source says," Mike Garofolo of FOXSports.com tweeted late Monday.
Mangini, a Bill Belichick disciple, first caught the gruff coach's eye as a 23-year-old ball boy with the Cleveland Browns. Through hard work and with Belichick's assistance, Mangini eventually became an offensive assistant.
Mangini would follow Belichick to the New York Jets, then the New England Patriots, where he eventually attained the role of defensive coordinator.
At 35, Mangini became the youngest head coach in the NFL when he was hired by the Jets in 2006. After finding success and a playoff berth his first season, things quickly unraveled in the Big Apple and Mangini was let go on Black Monday in 2008.
He was hired as head coach of the Browns in January of 2009 but was never able to replicate the early success he had in New York. He was fired in 2011 and finished his tenure in Cleveland with a 10-22 record.
As for Sparano, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com is reporting that while owner Mark Davis and GM Reggie McKenzie are ready to interview him and give him a real shot, it would be an "upset" were he to actually be offered the full-time gig.
"Tony Sparano has vocally made his case for the job, but it would be an upset if the interim coach won the job full time," Rapoport wrote. "General manager Reggie McKenzie will be part of the coaching search and Sparano will get an interview."