RockyMountainSaint

Parcells: I might return to do friend Payton a favor


PALM BEACH, Fla. -- If Bill Parcells decides to come out of retirement for a third time to coach the Saints this season, it will be for one reason only.
"If this guy says to me, 'Bill, I need you to do this,' " Parcells said in an interview with Newsday Wednesday afternoon. "That's what friends are supposed to be for."
"This guy" refers to Saints coach Sean Payton, who is very close to Parcells and is considering whether to ask the former Giants, Patriots, Jets and Cowboys coach to fill in for him during his suspension for the 2012 season. Payton was suspended for not putting a stop to the Saints' prohibited bounty program, which the NFL said was used extensively from 2009-11 as an enticement to knock opposing players out of games.
Parcells, 70, said he has turned down two head coaching opportunities since retiring from the Cowboys after the 2006 season, but this one is different.
"The thing with this one, it's a little more personal to me, because this is one of my guys," Parcells said.
Parcells met with Payton and Saints general manager Mickey Loomis, who has been suspended for the first eight games next season, on Tuesday near Parcells' home in Jupiter, Fla. Parcells said the Saints' head coaching job was not discussed specifically, and that he believed Payton wanted him to get to know Loomis. The two had not previously met.
"We literally did not talk about that job at all [Tuesday]," Parcells said. "The only thing he told me is, 'You're going to like this situation . I know a few of their players, just a couple. I think Sean wanted me to meet Mickey Loomis. I didn't know him very well."
Asked if the two got along, Parcells said, "It's hard not to get along playing golf. There wasn't too much contentiousness out there."
Parcells said he doesn't expect an immediate resolution of the situation, citing a potential appeal that would be filed by Payton. He has until Monday to file the appeal, but it might be filed sooner. If the Saints do want to hire Parcells for the 2012 season, they would first have to conduct an interview with a minority coaching candidate to fulfill the Rooney Rule requirement. The rule was put in place several years ago to promote diversity hiring.
"I think there are a few more things to be settled before they would be ready to move on from where they are," Parcells said. "I don't know whether they're going to appeal or not. [If they did], that would take a little time. I don't know exactly how long."
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said this week that if Payton did appeal, it would be an expedited process. Goodell said, however, that Payton would be allowed to continue working for the Saints until the appeal is heard. No decision on a coaching hire would therefore be made until Payton hears if the suspension is upheld.
Parcells said he was aware that returning to the sidelines would push back his eligibility for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a finalist this year, but was not selected. Hall of Fame rules require a coach to be out of the game for at least five seasons before being eligible; returning, even on an interim basis, would re-start the clock for Parcells.
Parcells said he wasn't worried about his Hall of Fame status.
"That's not even a factor right now," he said. "I can't live my life worrying about something that might never happen. I have to be honest with myself. I don't know if that's going to happen or not. Why would you live your life worrying about something that's not going to happen? Don't assume that I don't think that's important to me, because it is. But I'm not making any personal decision based on that."
For now, there is no offer.
"I would have to know a lot more than I know now," Parcells said. "They said they'd be in touch."

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