Bill Parcells facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bill Parcells

Parcells as the head coach of Air Force in 1978
Personal information
Born:	(1941-08-22) August 22, 1941 (age 83) Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.
Career information
High school:	River Dell (Oradell, New Jersey)
College:	Wichita State (1960–1963)
NFL Draft:	1964 / Round: 7 / Pick: 89
Career history
As player:
Detroit Lions (1964)*
As coach:
Hastings (1964) Linebackers coach Wichita State (1965) Linebackers coach Army (1966–1967) Linebackers coach Army (1968–1969) Defensive coordinator Florida State (1970–1972) Linebackers coach Vanderbilt (1973–1974) Linebackers coach Texas Tech (1975–1977) Defensive coordinator & linebackers coach Air Force (1978) Head coach New York Giants (1979) Defensive coordinator Resigned in the offseason after six weeks New England Patriots (1980) Linebackers coach New York Giants (1981–1982) Defensive coordinator & linebackers coach New York Giants (1983–1990) Head coach New England Patriots (1993–1996) Head coach New York Jets (1997–1999) Head coach Dallas Cowboys (2003–2006) Head coach
As executive:
New England Patriots (1993–1996) General manager New York Jets (1997–2000) General manager Miami Dolphins (2008–2010) Executive VP of football operations
Career highlights and awards
2× Super Bowl champion (XXI, XXV) 2× AP NFL Coach of Year (1986, 1994) The Sporting News NFL Coach of Year (1986) 2× Pro Football Weekly NFL Coach of Year (1986, 1994) Greasy Neale Award (1994) NFL 1990s All-Decade Team New York Giants Ring of Honor New England Patriots Hall of Fame New England Patriots All-1990s Team
Head coaching record
Regular season:	NFL: 172–130–1 (.569) NCAA: 3–8 (.273)
Postseason:	11–8 (.579)
Career:	183–138–1 (.570)
Coaching stats at PFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells (/pɑːrˈsɛlz/ PAR-selz; born August 22, 1941) is a famous American football coach. He was a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for 19 seasons.

Bill Parcells became well-known as the head coach of the New York Giants from 1983 to 1990. During this time, he led the team to win two Super Bowl titles. He also coached the New England Patriots (1993–1996), the New York Jets (1997–2000), and the Dallas Cowboys (2003–2006).

People often called him "the Big Tuna." He is the only NFL coach to lead four different teams to the playoffs. He also led three of those teams to a conference championship game.

When Parcells took over the Giants, they had not been very successful. But within four years, he guided them to their first Super Bowl win in Super Bowl XXI. Four years later, they won a second championship in Super Bowl XXV.

After his second Super Bowl win, Parcells retired briefly. However, he returned in 1993 to coach the Patriots, another team that was struggling. By his fourth season, the Patriots reached Super Bowl XXXI, though they did not win.

He then moved to the Jets as head coach and general manager. He quickly turned the Jets around from a team that won only one game to one that played in the AFC Championship Game in just two years.

Parcells retired a second time in 1999 but came back in 2003 to coach the Cowboys. The Cowboys made it to the playoffs twice with him, but they lost in the first round both times. He retired for the third and final time from coaching in 2007.

After coaching, Parcells worked as the vice president of football operations for the Miami Dolphins from 2008 to 2010. He was honored by being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013.

Early Life and Nickname

Bill Parcells was born in Englewood, New Jersey, on August 22, 1941. He grew up in a nearby town called Hasbrouck Heights. His father, Charles Parcells, played football in college and later worked for the FBI.

Before high school, his family moved to Oradell. There, he attended River Dell Regional High School. His real first name was Duane, but people often mistook him for another boy named Bill. Because he didn't like his given name, he decided to use "Bill" as his nickname.

Parcells was a talented athlete when he was young. He was tall for his age, which helped him become a great player in football, baseball, and basketball at his high school. His football coach, Tom Cahill, later became a college head coach. His basketball coach, Mickey Corcoran, was a very important person in his life.

The "Big Tuna" Nickname

After high school, Parcells went to college at the University of Wichita (now Wichita State University). He played linebacker there and earned a degree in physical education. This is where he got his famous nickname, "Big Tuna."

The nickname actually started as "Tuner." When he was in college, there weren't many radio stations in Wichita. Bill would often arrive early to practice to set up a radio and try to find a good signal for music. Because he was so focused on "tuning" the radio, his teammates started calling him "Tuner." Over time, especially with the accents of New York reporters, "Tuner" became "Tuna."

Playing and College Coaching Career

Bill Parcells was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 1964 as an offensive lineman. However, he was released by the team before playing any NFL games.

After his playing days, Parcells decided to become a football coach. He started as an assistant coach at several colleges. These included Hastings (1964), Wichita State (1965), Army (1966–1969), Florida State (1970–1972), Vanderbilt (1973–1974), and Texas Tech (1975–1977). In 1978, he became the head coach at the Air Force Academy for one season.

While coaching at Army, Parcells also helped coach basketball for Bob Knight. This led to a long friendship between them.

NFL Coaching Journey

New York Giants (1979, 1981–1990)

In 1979, Parcells joined the New York Giants as the defensive coordinator. However, he soon resigned to be with his family in Colorado. He later called this year away from football "the most miserable year of my life."

He returned to the NFL in 1980 as a linebackers coach for the New England Patriots. The next year, he rejoined the Giants as an assistant coach. He was allowed to change the team's defense to a new system.

Parcells' Hall of Fame bust

In 1983, Parcells became the head coach of the Giants. The team had not been very good for many years. His first season was tough, with a 3–12–1 record. But Parcells made changes, and the team quickly improved.

In 1986, he led the Giants to their first Super Bowl. The team had an amazing 14–2 record. Their strong defense, known as the "Big Blue Wrecking Crew," helped them win Super Bowl XXI against the Denver Broncos. After this win, Parcells became famous for being the first coach to be doused with Gatorade, starting a Super Bowl tradition.

Parcells led the Giants to another Super Bowl in 1990. Even after their starting quarterback got injured, the team, led by backup quarterback Jeff Hostetler, won Super Bowl XXV in a very close game against the Buffalo Bills. After this second Super Bowl win, Parcells retired from football due to health reasons.

During his time with the Giants, the team won three division titles and had a great playoff record.

New England Patriots (1993–1996)

After a two-year break, Parcells returned to the NFL in 1993 to coach the struggling New England Patriots. The team had won only two games the year before.

Within two years, he led the Patriots to a 10–6 record and their first playoff game in eight years. In 1996, he guided them to their first division title in 11 years. The Patriots made it all the way to Super Bowl XXXI, but they lost to the Green Bay Packers.

Parcells left the Patriots after disagreements with the team owner, Robert Kraft. Parcells felt he didn't have enough say in choosing players. He famously said, "They want you to cook the dinner; at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries."

New York Jets (1997–1999)

The New York Jets wanted Parcells to be their head coach and general manager. The Jets had a very bad record before he arrived. To get around his contract with the Patriots, the Jets first hired Bill Belichick (Parcells' assistant) as coach, then hired Parcells in an "advisory" role. The NFL Commissioner helped work out a deal, and Parcells became the Jets' head coach.

Parcells quickly turned the Jets around. In his first season (1997), the team went from 1–15 to 9–7. In 1998, the Jets had their best record ever at the time, 12–4, and made it to the AFC Championship Game. They lost to the Denver Broncos in that game.

In 1999, the Jets had high hopes, but their starting quarterback got injured early in the season. The team finished 8–8 and missed the playoffs. Parcells retired from football for the second time, saying he wouldn't coach again. He stayed with the Jets as general manager for one more year.

Dallas Cowboys (2003–2006)

After three bad seasons for the Dallas Cowboys, owner Jerry Jones convinced Parcells to come out of retirement in 2003.

"Earn the Star" Tradition

When Parcells arrived in Dallas, he started a new tradition. He said that wearing the Cowboys' star logo on the helmet was a privilege, not a right. All new players, especially rookies, had to "earn the star" by proving themselves before the logo was permanently placed on their helmets. This tradition continues with the Cowboys today.

Cowboys Seasons

In his first season with the Cowboys (2003), Parcells led them to the playoffs with a 10–6 record. This made him the first coach in NFL history to lead four different teams to the playoffs.

The 2004 season was difficult. The team struggled with injuries and inconsistent play. They finished with a 6–10 record.

In 2005, the Cowboys improved their defense by adding talented young players. They also brought in experienced players who had played for Parcells before, like quarterback Drew Bledsoe. The team finished 9–7, just missing the playoffs.

In 2006, the Cowboys signed wide receiver Terrell Owens. During this season, Parcells made a big decision to replace veteran quarterback Drew Bledsoe with a younger player, Tony Romo. Romo became the starting quarterback and helped the team make the playoffs. However, they lost in the first round.

Parcells finished his time in Dallas with a 34–30 record and no playoff wins. One of his biggest achievements there was helping Tony Romo develop into a Pro Bowl quarterback.

Third Retirement and Advisory Roles

On January 22, 2007, Bill Parcells announced his retirement as head coach of the Cowboys. This seemed to be the end of his coaching career.

After retiring from coaching, Parcells worked as a football analyst for ESPN.

Miami Dolphins

In December 2007, Parcells agreed to become the new executive vice president of football operations for the Miami Dolphins. He signed a four-year contract.

In his first season with the Dolphins, Parcells made many changes. He hired a new head coach, Tony Sparano, and a new general manager. They signed many new players and drafted young talent.

The Dolphins had a huge turnaround in 2008. They finished the season 11–5 and became AFC East champions. This was a 10-game improvement from the previous season, making them one of only two teams in NFL history to achieve such a big jump. They made the playoffs but lost in the first round. Parcells left the Dolphins in 2010.

Cleveland Browns Advisory Role

Since 2014, Parcells has occasionally given advice to the Cleveland Browns. For example, in 2017, he supported hiring John Dorsey as their new general manager. In 2018, he helped the Browns look for their next star quarterback for the NFL draft.

Personal Life

Bill Parcells was married to Judith Goss from 1962 until their divorce in 2002. They had three daughters: Suzy, Dallas, and Jill. His son-in-law, Scott Pioli, who is married to his daughter Dallas, also worked in football and won three Super Bowls as an executive with the New England Patriots.

Head Coaching Record

College

NFL

See also

In Spanish: Bill Parcells para niños

• History of the New York Giants (1979–1993)
• List of National Football League head coaches with 50 wins