Cleveland Browns: Firing Eric Mangini Was the Right Move by Mike Holmgren

Evidently, it’s the thing to do around the NFL.

Monday, head coach Eric Mangini of the Cleveland Browns was fired by team president Mike Holmgren, who many rumor may fill the void despite his expressed disinterest. Mangini is the most recent of seven coaches who now find themselves on the outside looking in this season.

Mangini led the team to two underachieving seasons, finishing 5-11 in both. With two years and $8 million dollars left on his contract, it was a move that may have surprised Mangini, but one that had to be done.

There were a mess of problems in Cleveland, and for that Mangini is not entirely to blame. At quarterback the Browns were lost, an array of talent in the receiving core that didn’t seem to show up at times (Cribbs and Massaquoi, maybe?), and a defense that was awful to say the least.

Although when push comes to shove, the truth is that there was no improvement…literally. The season prior to when he became coach, the Browns finished at 4-12 in what was certainly a season to forget. Two straight seasons of one more win is not what Holmgren was looking for, and neither would most.

The problems at quarterback were tough to deal with but some moves were uncalled for. Despite the want to give the rookie Colt McCoy some snaps, Jake Delhomme was playing good football. To bench him after the first game, in a three-point loss to a Tampa Bay team who performed well this season, is a move that lacked substance.

Despite Cribbs and his injuries, he was still underachieving left and right. In his first five games, in three he was held to 24 yards or less, and managed to add in two fumbles. Mohamed Massaquoi, in his second year from Georgia, didn't show up to play despite earning the majority of snaps.

Massaquoi’s 483 yards led the team for all wide receivers, which can’t be a good sign. Not to mention if your tight end in Ben Watson has nearly 300 yards more, you have problems.

There have been recent rumors going around that Holmgren might go back to his glory days as a head coach and take over for the Cleveland Browns. That would be a positive move in improving the team.

A veteran in the business, Holmgren is 161-111 as a coach in 17 seasons, seven of which were with Brett Favre in Green Bay. He’s a Super Bowl winner, has been in three, and has the experience. Don’t be surprised if you find him walking about the sidelines come Week 1 of the 2011-2012 season.

Reports are that Holmgren and the Cleveland Brown staff will start the interviews today.