Report: Eric Mangini agrees to coach the Cleveland Browns

The former Browns' ball boy is about to come home.

ESPN.com is reporting that ousted New York Jets Coach Eric Mangini has agreed to become the coach of the Cleveland Browns.

Mangini, fired last week after quarterback Brett Favre went down in flames against the Miami Dolphins, reportedly has agreed to a four-year deal.

Good for Mangini. Taking the fall for what turned out to be, in the end, a very bad move wasn't fair to him.

Chad Pennington leaves the Jets for the Dolphins and Favre takes over the Jets. And suddenly Mangini's game strategies are spoiled, because now he has Favre in the pocket, a quarterback who likes to do whatever he wants. Good arm or no good arm. But now Mangini can put that behind him for the time being -- a news conference apparently is scheduled for the morning.

Mangini, 37, began his NFL career as a ballboy with the Browns in 1994 under then-coach Bill Belichick.

-- Debbie Goffa

Photo: From this November game, it isn't clear who was making the calls, Coach Eric Mangini, left, or quarterback Brett Favre. Credit: Bill Kostroun / Associated Press