Giants Ring of Honor: Bill Parcells

During the off-season, the staff here at GMenHq will be featuring a member of the Giants Ring of Honor on each Monday and Friday.  Today’s feature is on: Bill Parcells

There is so much to say about the second greatest coach in Giants football history (Yes, I said second; see Steve Owen for the greatest coach in Giants history). First things first: Bill Parcells is not his legal name; Coach was born Duane Charles Parcells in Englewood, New Jersey. As a graduate of Wichita State University, Bill got involved with coaching immediately after graduating. Working his way through the college ranks, Parcells got his big break in 1978 when he was named linebackers coach for the Giants.

In 1979, Ray Perkins named Bill Parcells as his defensive coordinator. Parcells would remain in this role, until he replaced Perkins in 1983 at the age of 43. Parcells got off to a rough, very rough start with the Giants. In his inaugural season as the Giants head coach he was 3-12 with one tie and finished dead last in the NFC East. Parcells followed up that season with three consecutive play-off seasons which ended with a Super Bowl Championship over the Denver Broncos. Think of Phil Simms being nearly perfect for the entire duration of the Super Bowl.

After winning the Super Bowl, the Giants faltered going 6-9 and widespread talk began about Parcells “retiring.” The Giants would miss the play-offs for a second consecutive season in 1988 even though they went 10-6 (they lost a tie breaker to the Eagles).  In 1984 the Giants were a dominating 12-4, but were one and done in the play-offs. A major disappointment to all NY sports fans.

Finally, in 1990 after going 13-3 and running rough shot through the play-offs, the Giants played one of the greatest Super Bowls in the history of the game. After celebrating the missed FG by Scott Norwood, the big tuna was hoisted into the air and rode off into the sunset (or at least we thought he did). This would be considered his first retirement. As a coach with the Giants, Parcells went 77 and 49 with two Super Bowl Championships.

After leaving the Giants, Parcells would go on to coach the Patriots, Jets, the Cowboys, a “CZAR” with the Dolphins, and finally working for ESPN. Parcells was denied entrance into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year and many experts believe it is because of his career of moving between locations. Only time will tell; however, he will go down as one of the greatest coaches in the history of one of the greatest NFL franchises.