NFL firings begin

ALLEN PARK, Mich. " A person familiar with the decision says the Detroit Lions have fired coach Rod Marinelli.

The firing comes on the morning after the Lions became the first team in NFL history to finish with an 0-16 record.

The person, who said the move was made Monday morning, spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because an announcement had not been made.

The Lions completed their winless season with a loss to Green Bay on Sunday, pushing aside Tampa Bay's 1976 season of 0-14 as the league's worst.

Marinelli won only one of his last 24 games and was 10-38 in three years after former team president Matt Millen gave the former Buccaneers assistant his first head coaching job.

Jets remove Mangini

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. " Eric Mangini is out as coach of the New York Jets.

Cleveland Browns fire coach Romeo Crennel

BEREA, Ohio " The Cleveland Browns have fired coach Romeo Crennel following a 4-12 season.

The firing Monday came one day after general manager Phil Savage was dismissed.

Crennel went 24-40 in four seasons with the Browns, who entered 2008 with huge expectations but collapsed amid a series of injuries and uneven play on offense and defense. They didn't score an offensive touchdown while losing their last six games and posted their fifth season of at least 10 losses in six years.

Although Crennel's dismissal had been expected for some time, Cleveland owner Randy Lerner waited until after the season out of respect for the 61-year-old coach and former defensive coordinator, who had never been a head coach at any level before taking over the Browns in 2005.

Crennel had three years left on a contract extension he signed in January after the Browns went 10-6 and just missed the playoffs.