Chip Kelly and the San Francisco 49ers fired 10 assistant coaches earlier in the week. It appears as though defensive coordinator Eric Mangini has become No. 11.
Source tells @NFLonFOX that @49ers have fired defensive coordinator Eric Mangini
— Alex Marvez (@alexmarvez) January 22, 2016
The 2015 49ers’ season was entirely forgettable, but their defense was generally decent at preventing points. San Francisco ranked 17th in points allowed in the 2015 season. Still only the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, and Kelly’s Philadelphia Eagles allowed more yards than the Mangini-led 49ers defense.
Houston Texans linebacker coach had previously interviewed for the defensive coordinator position, but ended up turning the job down. Earlier Friday, Kelly and the 49ers hired Curtis Modkins of the Detroit Lions to fill the vacant offensive coordinator position.
Mangini was with the 49ers for three years, serving as their tight ends coach in 2013-2014 before taking the defensive coordinator job from Vic Fangio in 2015. He was previously the head coach of the New York Jets from 2006-2008, and the Cleveland Browns from 2009-2010.