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Chip Kelly fires Eric Mangini as 49ers defensive coordinator

Eric Mangini

Eric Mangini

AP

Chip Kelly hasn’t named his new defensive coordinator in San Francisco, but it won’t be the old defensive coordinator.

Eric Mangini has been fired, Alex Marvez of FOX Sports reports. Mangini served as defensive coordinator last year on Jim Tomsula’s staff after serving as an offensive assistant the previous two years on Jim Harbaugh’s staff.

Now Mangini may struggle to find a new coaching job elsewhere, as his firing comes fairly late in the game after most teams have filled out their staffs. Mangini spent two years out of coaching after he was fired as head coach of the Browns following the 2010 season, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him spend a year out of coaching again.

There’s no word on who Kelly will hire as his new defensive coordinator. Mike Vrabel has already turned the job down, but Kelly presumably has someone else in mind.