Not many people in the world can say that they found their career calling on the football fields of Australia. But when Eric Mangini ’94 had the opportunity to postpone the second semester of his senior year at Wesleyan to coach a semi-professional football team in Melbourn—here he had studied abroad the year befor—e decided that the chance was too good to pass up.
“Prior to [the opportunity in Australia], I was thinking investment banking,” Mangini said. “But I had such a good experience coaching the team that I thought maybe I’d give it a shot and see if I could get anything done in the States coaching.”
Mangini’s decision paid off. Ten years after his coaching chance, the 33 year-old Mangini is now in his fourth year as the defensive backs coach for the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots. Under the tutelage of fellow Wesleyan alum and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick ’75, Mangini is considered one of the rising stars in the football coaching ranks, having already turned down offers from rival teams to become their defensive coordinator.
Mangini’s football experience began in his hometown of Hartford, and then moved on to Wesleyan, where he was a star nose tackle. After returning from Australia, the government major graduated with a school record for sacks and was a third-team All-American selection in 1993.
“[Eric] was a student of the game, a smart guy, and an excellent football player,” said Athletic Director John Biddiscombe. “He was an excellent student as well, which has had a bearing on how successful he has become today.”
After Wesleyan, Mangini was determined to take his football knowledge to the NFL. He immediately got the chance from his former Cardinal football coach, Kevin Spencer, who had moved into a coaching position with the Cleveland Browns. Mangini took the most entry level position available, as a ball boy and coaching assistant.
Many people assume that Mangini was given an NFL job by fellow Wes alum and Chi Psi brother Belichick, who was the head coach for the Browns when Mangini began, but the two had actually never met.
“For the first few months I was in Cleveland, I don’t think [Belichick] knew my name,” Mangini said. “One time we were sitting at lunch and we started talking about Wesleyan, and that we’re both Chi Psi brothers, both football players. We could relate to a lot of shared experiences.”
Mangini certainly made an impression on the veteran coach in Cleveland. Unfortunately, Belichick left the Browns when they made the move to Baltimore following the 1995 season. Mangini stayed with the team, becoming an offensive assistant to the newly-named Ravens. The Ravens struggled that season, but the two Wesleyan alums kept in touch, and when Belichick was named defensive backs coach for the Jets in ’97, he brought on Mangini as a defensive assistant. Mangini credited the shared experiences he had with Belichick as a key to their budding relationship
“Bill’s the type of guy who believes in giving people opportunities if they work hard and do the right thing,” Mangini said. “Some other coaches may not give the small school guy the opportunity because they can’t relate to it. They can only relate to what their experience was. But Bill having gone through it really helped me get my foot in the door.”
Mangini’s experience on the offensive side of the game aided him in making a quick transition to defense because he could predict the type of schemes opposing offenses were going to present. He is credited with playing a huge role in helping the Jets reach the AFC Championship.
When Belichick was named head coach of the Patriots in ’00, he hired Mangini, then only 29, as the defensive backs coach. Four years and two Super Bowl championships later, Mangini has seen his coaching stock rise exponentially. His secondaries have recorded some of the most impressive numbers in recent memory, and two of the players he coached, Ty Law and Lawyer Milloy, made multiple Pro Bowls under Mangini’s tutelage. Despite his young age, Mangini has not had trouble gaining respect from his veteran players.
“If you can prove to them that you can help them be a better player and a successful player, they will listen to you regardless of your age,” Mangini said. “So I like to think that that’s what I’ve done is shown the guys that I can help them become better players and be successful and have good careers.”
Following the Super Bowl, teams around the league started to realize that Mangini was a special coach. Both the New York Jets and Oakland Raiders were rumored to have offered Mangini defensive coordinator positions, but he chose to stay put in Foxboro.
“I don’t think it was the right time to make a change,” Mangini said of the potential moves. “We’ve done a lot of good things here, and I think there’s more to be done. It just wasn’t the right opportunity at the right time. [My wife] had just had a baby, so from a family and professional perspective it didn’t feel right.”
Despite his decision to stay put, Mangini could see himself as a head coach in the NFL sooner rather than later.
“I think everyone wants to keep moving up, so I’d obviously like to do that at some point when the time’s right,” he said.“ If we can find the right situation, the right time, I would definitely like the opportunity.”
No one is happier about Mangini’s success than his mentor Belichick.
“Eric’s been a tremendous asset to our team,” Belichick wrote in a statement. “Spanning three teams and a decade, Eric has turned the most entry level coaching position at the Cleveland Browns into a bright young career that has already seen him win two championships.”
When he spoke to the Wesleyan community two weeks ago, Belichick had more good things to say about the young coach.
“Eric has a great rapport with the players. He’s going to be one of the top coaches in the league. He already is,” Belichick said. “He’s a really outstanding coach and he has had a whole lot to do with our success.”
Despite his amazing road to the top of the NFL, Mangini is most proud of something else he took away from his Wesleyan year—he desire to give back to his community. He is the director of the CFM Foundation in Hartford, which gives opportunities to under-privileged children, both athletically and academically. On top of giving money to teachers and children for special projects, Mangini’s foundation runs a summer football camp for local kids, working alongside former Patriot player Tebucky Jones. Mangini urges Wesleyan students to try to get involved in their communities.
“I know that a lot of kids from Wesleyan want to get involved in charity and they want to give back. I just think that’s something that’s very important,” Mangini said. “I think they need to keep that in perspective as they move on and make sure that as they get more successful and wealthier, they really put a premium on helping other people.”
Students interested in working with Coach Mangini’s foundation can find information at www.cfmfoundation.com.
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