Patriots mend fences with Bill Parcells, will induct him into team’s hall of fame

Parcells was the Patriots’ coach for only four years, but he turned the franchise into an AFC champion. With quarterback Drew Bledsoe, the Patriots went 11-5 in 1996 and won the AFC title game. The Patriots fell to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXI, but in many ways some of the groundwork Parcells laid in those years led to the Patriots’ dynasty under Belichick later on.

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While Parcells going into the team’s hall of fame is justified, getting there took some time for both sides. When Parcells left the Patriots, it was one of the nastiest splits in NFL history.

When Parcells was New England’s coach he had a dispute with Kraft over personnel control, which led to the famous quote: “If they want you to cook the dinner, at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries.” After a week of distractions surrounding the Jets’ interest in Parcells leading up to Super Bowl XXXI, Parcells didn’t travel back with the team following the loss to the Packers.

Parcells tried an end around to get to the Jets, agreeing to join the team as a consultant and not its coach — Parcells’ defensive coordinator Bill Belichick was supposed to be the head coach in that arrangement — a move the Patriots called out and the NFL overruled. NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue brokered a deal in which Parcells joined the Jets and the Patriots got four draft picks, including a first rounder.

Over time, the hard feelings started to subside. Parcells reportedly said he regretted leaving New England. Parcells went on to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Patriots had unprecedented success with Belichick.

Now, with Kraft and Parcells both in their 80s, they can officially put that divorce behind them when the coach gets added to the team’s hall of fame.