Parcells Goes From the Super Bowl to the Studio : Football: Former Giant coach will join NBC’s “NFL Live.” He might do some game commentating.

Bill Parcells has decided to go the Pat Riley route, from coaching to an NBC studio job.

Parcells, who has signed a multiyear contract with NBC, will join the “NFL Live” crew of Bob Costas, O.J. Simpson and Will McDonough, it was announced in New York Tuesday.

In a conference call, Parcells acknowledged that he had been interviewed by NBC before resigning as coach of the New York Giants on May 15 but said he didn’t leave the coaching ranks to go into TV.

“It was an opportunity that presented itself,” he said. “I had a very strong interest in it, and I decided to do it.”

Parcells said he also talked with CBS. “Had things worked out there, I would have looked forward to that opportunity as well,” he said. “They have good people over there. But I’m happy the way things worked out.”

Parcells, besides his role on “NFL Live,” will appear on a new Saturday show after the six televised Notre Dame home games this fall. On that show, Parcells will look ahead to that weekend’s NFL action.

He will also make occasional appearences during the off-season on the weekend “Sports Update” shows to discuss NFL matters.

And, he said Tuesday, he might be a commentator on a couple of games late in the season.

Asked why he chose studio work over game analysis, Parcells said the presence of Will McDonough had a lot to do with that decision.

“He’s a longtime personal friend of mine, a guy I know is adept at securing information because he was getting it from me from time to time,” Parcells said. “I look forward to working with Will. He’ll be there to help me, and he’s a guy who understands me and knows me well.”

Bill Walsh remains NBC’s No. 1 pro football commentator, as well as the network’s highest-paid commentator. Walsh earns between $500,000 and $600,000 a year.

Reportedly, Parcells will make considerably less.

He also indicated that there would be no problem getting out of the contract if he had an attractive opportunity to return to coaching, as former Laker coach Riley had in leaving NBC to become coach of the New York Knicks.

“There’s always speculation that a coach like Bill Walsh or myself or Pat Riley will go back to coaching,” Parcells said. “NBC has always given people a lot of latitude to do that if they choose.”

Of his new line of work, Parcells said: “I know I’m a novice and have a lot of work to do. But this gives me the opportunity to stay near football, which is something I love very much.”

Parcells said he is approaching his new profession with “the idea that I’m going to make a go of it and see how much it works for both of us.”