Parcells Would Rather Coach No One in '97

By ARA NAJARIAN

Feb. 1, 1997 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Bill Parcells made official Friday what everyone had figured for some time: He will not be the coach of the New England Patriots next season.

All the signs were there.

He skipped the team’s flight back to New England after the 35-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl. That came on the heels of a story in which his agent, Robert Fraley, was cited as a source saying Parcells was leaving the team after the Super Bowl.

Then, the NFL ruled that Parcells needed permission from the Patriots to leave to coach another team for the 1997 season.

So, on the last day of his contract, Parcells gave a letter to Patriot owner Robert Kraft saying that, under the current administration, he did not “desire” to continue as coach of the Patriots or in the NFL in 1997.

“It’s not like I was resigning. I would have had to extend this relationship, I would have had to renew it,” Parcells said. “I chose not to extend the agreement.”

In effect, Parcells is taking away the Patriots’ option on the fifth year of his contract. In turn, the Patriots will not give permission for him to coach another team in 1997 without substantial compensation. Parcells reportedly was going to leave the Patriots for the New York Jets.

Said Kraft: “I’m speaking now to the Jets: If you have an interest in Bill, please don’t trade the No. 1 [draft] pick. That must be part of the solution.”

So it goes when you burn the bridges of Suffolk County.

Parcells, who coached the New York Giants to victories in Super Bowls XXI and XXV, has a 119-86-1 record in 12 seasons, including a 10-5 playoff record.

Although Kraft agreed to change the terms of Parcells’ original five-year contract so he could get out of the last year without financial penalty, the rift between the two dates to last year’s draft.

It wasn’t about money--it was about control.

“A friend told me if you’re going to cook the meal, they ought to let you shop for the groceries,” Parcells said. “I guess that best explains our philosophical difference. But Bob owns the team. He has every right to run the team exactly the way he wants to run it. I wish him well. I really do.”

Fraley was cited as a source for a story in which Parcells would become coach and general manager of the Jets for three years and $10 million. But Kraft said after Parcells’ news conference he would not grant permission without the Jets’ No. 1 pick being part of the deal.

The Jets, who have the top pick in the upcoming draft, talked to the Patriots on Thursday but would not comment about it.

In another entanglement, Kraft reportedly wants $200,000 returned that was paid to Parcells for wearing certain Patriot apparel on the sidelines. Parcells reportedly was paid that amount for each year of his original five-year contract in one lump sum.

Drew Bledsoe, the Patriots’ Pro Bowl quarterback, wasn’t surprised by Parcells’ resignation, and he wouldn’t have been surprised if he had stayed. “I know he wants to have more control of personnel,” Bledsoe said. “It’s disappointing, but we still have a lot of talent on our team.”

Kraft said the Patriots have a short list of potential successors, whom he wouldn’t identify, and would begin the search for a new coach immediately. There is speculation he will approach former San Francisco 49er coach George Seifert and that he already has contacted 49er defensive coordinator Pete Carroll. Green Bay assistant Sherm Lewis and Bill Belichick--Parcells’ top assistant--also have been mentioned as a possible replacements.

As for Parcells, he immediately signed with a big-and-tall men’s clothing business as a spokesman--otherwise he’s not speaking about jobs.

“I’m a league guy. Whatever the commissioner says, I’ll abide by,” Parcells said. “Why should I deliberate on an option I don’t have? That’s a hypothetical situation. Right now, I’m sitting out.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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Parcells File

Bill Parcells’ NFL coaching career:

NEW YORK

GIANTS (1983-90)

* SEASONS: Eight.

* RECORD: 77-49-1 (.611).

* POSTSEASON: 8-3 (.727).

* DIVISION TITLES: Five.

* SUPER BOWL TITLES: Two (1986, ’90 seasons).

NEW ENGLAND