Parcells Says Nope To Atlanta, Says HELL YEAH! to Miami

[Cowboy13012]

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Bill Parcells will not be joining the Atlanta Falcons as head of football operations.

Parcells turned down the position, Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Wednesday in a statement. Blank said the team had an agreement in principle with Parcells, but after he told the Falcons he was considering an similar offer from the Miami Dolphins, negotiations fell through.

Sources close to Parcells told ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli that Parcells and the Dolphins are in active negotiations and are closing in on a deal.

"We gave it our best shot, and it didn't work out. We will continue down the same overall path, proceeding with plans to hire a general manager and a head coach. We will identify and consider every strongly viable candidate for these positions, with the goal of hiring the best," Blank said, according to a statement.

Parcells, an ESPN NFL analyst, was considering an offer to join the team's front office as vice president of football operations, a role that would put him in charge of finding the next coach for a team rocked by the suspension and imprisonment of Michael Vick and the sudden resignation of Bobby Petrino.

The announcement that talks broke down with Parcells leaves the makeup of the Falcons' front office, and their search for a replacement for Petrino, in question.

The announcement was a far cry from earlier Wednesday, when Parcells told ESPN's Chris Mortensen that he was leaning toward accepting the Falcons' offer.

"I'm pretty sure I'm going to do it. [Owner] Arthur [Blank] and I have had some pretty constructive discussions. I basically will oversee the football operations. We'll meet today -- not in Atlanta -- and work out some of the final details but I don't think there's any deal breakers here," Parcells said earlier.

According to the statement, Rich McKay will remain president of the club and will retain general manager responsibilities until a new GM is hired.

Blank added that the Falcons remain committed to "looking at every option for building a championship-caliber team for our fans.

"I have stated we will leave no stone unturned in doing so, and this effort is one example of that," Blank said.

The courtship with Parcells may have no real effect on the team's search for a new coach. The Falcons are expected to wait at least until the end of the regular season to begin serious talks with candidates.

Dolphins spokesman Harvey Greene declined comment, saying the organization does not discuss rumors.

"Really?" defensive lineman Vonnie Holliday said when told by The AP about Parcells' apparent interest in the Dolphins. "You can't control it. But somebody like the Big Tuna, regardless of who's in the front office or who's not, brings a lot of respect and a lot of credibility with him. He's a Hall of Famer. If you're a free agent out there, that might draw you in."

Parcells is not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The story broke as many Dolphins were playing cards and dominoes in the locker room after practice, and instantly, many of them began turning heads toward the televisions scattered about the room.

It didn't take long for even the mere mention of Parcells to create a buzz in Miami.

"I have a lot of respect for what he's been able to do in other places and I'd expect, if he did come in here, for him to do the same," Holliday said. "I don't know what's going to happen upstairs. I have no idea. I have a lot of respect for [GM] Randy Mueller, as well. But my interest is in what's best for this team and getting us in the right direction."

ESPN.com senior NFL writer Len Pasquarelli and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[Cowboy13012]

Bill Parcells signed a four-year contract with the Miami Dolphins to become the team's executive vice president of football operations on Thursday.

Parcells faxed the contract to the team, less than a day after turning down an offer to join the Atlanta Falcons.

"He has a proven track record of success everywhere he has been in the National Football League," Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga said Thursday afternoon. "And his football acumen will help put the Miami Dolphins franchise back among the elite of the NFL."

The two-time Super Bowl champion coach will report directly to Huizenga, whose affinity for big-name help now has led him to Parcells -- a 66-year-old former coach of four NFL clubs who owns a home in South Florida and now has a job there, too.

On Wednesday, the expectation around the league was that Parcells would take over in Atlanta. By the afternoon, however, the deal had fallen apart, and the Dolphins moved quickly to get Parcells to sign a contract.

"I'm honored to join such an illustrious franchise as the Miami Dolphins and to work for one of the best owners in the league in Wayne Huizenga," Parcells said. "He shares my same commitment to winning, and I told him I would do everything I can to help turn around the team's fortunes."

The team made the announcement shortly after the locker room was closed for the day, and roughly 45 minutes after Dolphins coach Cam Cameron sidestepped at least a half-dozen questions about Parcells -- even refusing to say if he's ever met the coach.

"There will potentially be a time to have that discussion," Cameron said. "Today, I don't see it as being that day or this time."

Parcells will be formally introduced next Thursday, the team said.

His arrival has taken nearly all the attention off the Dolphins' game at New England on Sunday. But even as it appeared certain Parcells was coming, players didn't say much on the hot topic.

"The guy's a legend," running back Lorenzo Booker said. "There's no doubt about it. He knows what he's doing. Obviously, his resume is a mile long. But I'm a new guy in this league, so I don't even know what a vice president does, to be honest with you, so I'm waiting to find out as much as you guys."

Televisions were off in the locker room after practice Thursday; that wasn't the case 24 hours earlier, when Parcells' face was splashed across the screens as news broke he was weighing Huizenga's offer.

Few players wanted to speak about Parcells, and those who did generally offered the company line, that the Dolphins are only thinking about Sunday's game at New England.

"Any more questions about New England?" defensive back Jason Allen asked.

Miami started 0-13 before beating Baltimore last weekend. The roster already seemed certain for an offseason overhaul. The Dolphins likely will have the No. 1 pick in next year's draft, and the franchise is in the midst of its longest postseason drought, now six years and counting.

Parcells insisted that he will not coach in Miami -- but could see himself helping the coach, whomever it is.

"It's a young man's game in terms of coaching, and I know it's time for someone else to be doing those things," Parcells said on ESPN. "If I can assist that person in any manner of speaking with my experience or even in the technical aspect and he would seek out that, then I'm happy to contribute."

So now, let the questions begin.

What happens to Cameron?

What happens to general manger Randy Mueller?

"Well, I'm not going to be doing either one of those jobs," Parcells said. "So when I get down there, I'm going to just have to look at the situation and speak with those fellas and evaluate things and see where we go from there."

Last Friday, Huizenga had been in talks about selling the team for about $1.1 billion. Now it seems that deal has since unraveled and there's no immediate plans to sell even a portion of the franchise.

Parcells will finish his duties as an ESPN analyst this week, appearing on ESPN Radio Primetime Friday at 7 p.m. ET. His final work for the network will be as part of Monday night's Denver-San Diego coverage.

Parcells' return didn't seem to be a surprise in Dallas, where he retired as coach after last season.

Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones, the son of Dallas owner Jerry Jones, said Parcells was always intrigued "not just in the coaching part, but putting the team together, running the organization, trainers to fields to scouting department. It was always a huge interest to him."

Huizenga has been known in the recent past to try to make a big splash by hiring a big name.

In January 2004, he hired Miami's greatest player, Dan Marino, as senior vice president of football operations, a job created just for him. Marino resigned from the loosely defined role 22 days later, saying he didn't want to change his lifestyle.

Later that year, Huizenga hired coach Nick Saban away from LSU; he lasted only two seasons in Miami before bolting after the 2006 campaign to return to college football at Alabama.


Bill Parcells' Coaching Record

Bill Parcells says he won't coach for the Dolphins, but he's been a winner wherever he's been. Parcells is 172-130-1 in his NFL career as a head coach, with an 11-8 record in the playoffs and two Super Bowl wins.
Year Team Record Playoffs
1983 Giants 3-12-1 None
1984 Giants 9-7 1-1
1985 Giants 10-6 1-1
1986 Giants 14-2 3-0 *
1987 Giants 6-9 None
1988 Giants 10-6 None
1989 Giants 12-4 0-1
1990 Giants 13-3 3-0 *
1993 Patriots 5-11 None
1994 Patriots 10-6 0-1
1995 Patriots 6-10 None
1996 Patriots 11-5 2-1
1997 Jets 9-7 None
1998 Jets 12-4 1-1
1999 Jets 8-8 None
2003 Cowboys 10-6 0-1
2004 Cowboys 6-10 None
2005 Cowboys 9-7 None
2006 Cowboys 9-7 0-1
* = Won Super Bowl

Chris Mortensen covers the NFL for ESPN. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[just_flow_sick]

mislead twice in a couple weeks........

1st it was petrino and now billy

damn this is nonsense :O/

[The_Mayor]

Didn't want him here. Falcons are not a 'quick fix' away from respectability and that's all Parcells was gonna be coming for. Name recognition is cute, but it wouldn't have worked in this situation. They need someone that'll be around for the long haul.

Blank just needs to be easy for now and do a thorough search for the next GM/Executive VP and let whomever that is be the man to hire the head coach. I'd pursue Floyd Reese, just to see if he's interested since he made/kept the Oilers/Titans relevant all those years.

But really, all that matters is McKay's ass is outta here from making football decisions. Hallelujah! lol