Future Hall of Fame inductee Bill Parcells has had an illustrious career. However, in that career he has one major regret, according to USA Today Sports.
"I regret leaving New England. Had we done things differently ... “ he said in a recent interview with the newspaper. "I had a good young team there. I hated to leave that team, because I knew what we could do.
After the 1996 Super Bowl, the separation of Parcells and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft was the result of a conflict-filled relationship that had been building up since Parcells took the Patriots head coaching job in 1993.
"I was absolutely too headstrong. And he might have been a little headstrong, too. I think both Kraft and myself, retrospectively, would have done things a little differently,” said Parcells.
Jets are also wishing things were done differently. In fact, they are probably wishing Parcells never left at all.
After his departure, Pete Carroll took over from 1997 to 2000. Then in 2000, Bill Belichick took over. Prio to taking the Patriots job he had actually been the coach of the New York Jets—for approximately a day.
Parcells and Kraft’s disagreement was largely based on Kraft’s unwillingness to let Parcells have a final say in player personnel. Instead Kraft left that decision to director of player personnel at the time Bobby Grier.
During the feud he uttered the renown line: "If they want you to cook the dinner, at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries."
Parcells and Kraft have since settled the dispute. Kraft told USA Today Sports:
"At a Super Bowl, Bill was standing there as I approached, and he just said to me, 'If I had to do it all over again. I would have done things differently.' And I said, 'So would I.'"
He even discussed the potential for greatness that a continued tandem of he and Parcells would have presented.
"It would have been pretty special," Kraft said. "We were just coming at it from different times. And so much in life is timing. But in the end, we have a great relationship today. I have great respect for him. He did a great deal for our franchise. And I will forever be grateful for that."
