Jan. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Eric Mangini became the youngest head coach in the National Football League when he was hired by the New York Jets today.

The 34-year-old Mangini, the defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots, replaces Herman Edwards, who left the Jets last week to become coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. Mangini will be introduced at a news conference later today.

Mangini becomes the NFL's youngest head coach since 1998, when the Oakland Raiders hired 34-year-old Jon Gruden. The youngest head coach in league history was Harland Svare, who was a month shy of his 32nd birthday when the Los Angeles Rams hired him in 1962.

``The issue of age never really came up when I was hired,'' said Svare, who compiled a record of 21-48-5 in seven seasons with the Rams and San Diego Chargers, in a telephone interview from his home in Carlsbad, California. ``My advice would be, don't focus on it. You have to learn as you go and draw from the experiences you've had.''

Like Svare, who spent two years as a defensive coordinator under Vince Lombardi, Mangini was mentored by a championship- winning coach. He's spent 10 of 11 NFL seasons working with Patriots coach Bill Belichick, winning three Super Bowl titles.

Financial terms of Mangini's contract weren't disclosed. The Star-Ledger of Newark, New Jersey, said it was a five-year package worth $15 million, with incentives that might raise the total to $17 million. Edwards made about $2 million a year, below the NFL's average of $2.8 million last season.

Mike McCarthy, 42, hired last week by the Green Bay Packers, had been the youngest active coach in the NFL.

Jets Connections

Mangini was one of eight former NFL coaches and assistants to interview for the job. He spent three years as a defensive assistant in New York from 1997-99 and has close ties with Jets assistant general manager Mike Tannenbaum, who helped conduct the coaching search.

``It gives you a level of comfort to hire somebody who you know, somebody that has beliefs you know about,'' former New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms, now an NFL analyst for CBS, said on a media conference call.

Mangini, who turns 35 in two days, gets his first head coaching job after just one year as a coordinator. He replaced Romeo Crennel this season after five years as the Patriots' defensive-backs coach, when Crennel became head coach in Cleveland.

The Jets went 4-12 this season, their worst record since going 1-15 in 1996. New York, which reached the second round of the playoffs in 2004, was hurt by season-ending injuries to starting quarterback Chad Pennington and backup Jay Fiedler in Week 3.

Questions

The long-term status of Pennington's surgically repaired shoulder isn't known. Jets running back Curtis Martin is 32 years old and coming off knee surgery, receiver Wayne Chrebet retired because of concussions, and defenders Ty Law and John Abraham might leave the team as free agents.

The Jets will have the fourth selection in April's NFL draft. They also have an extra fourth-round draft choice, acquired from the Chiefs as compensation for releasing Edwards from the final two years of his contract.

Mangini broke into the NFL in 1995 as an assistant to Belichick in Cleveland, then followed him to the Jets and the Patriots.

ESPN reported yesterday that Mangini's hiring would result in the Jets dismissing defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson, offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger and special-teams coordinator Mike Westhoff.

The three assistants interviewed for the head-coaching job, along with former New Orleans Saints coach Jim Haslett, ex- Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Tice, New York Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis and former St. Louis Rams interim coach Joe Vitt.

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