Vikings Talked To Bill Parcells, But Not Recently

Shortly after the Saints punishment was announced, reports surfaced that Payton had talked to Parcells about taking the job. Judging by what each side said, it seemed like Parcells coaching the Saints for one season was a legitimate possibility, but that apparently won’t be happening anymore.

Perhaps one of the reasons Parcells opted not to take the job is that his five-year clock to be admitted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame would have been reset, meaning he’d have to wait another five years to be eligible again. Parcells was a finalist for the Hall of Fame earlier this year but did not get in. It’s previously been reported that resetting the clock on his Hall of Fame bid would be a big factor in whether or not he coaches the Saints.

And now we find out from Tom Pelissero of ESPN 1500 in Minneapolis that, while the Vikings did approach Parcells, it didn’t happen anytime recently. Other reports are now saying Parcells to Minnesota won’t be happening. It’s unclear exactly when the talks happened but Pelissero reports that the Vikings supposed interest smells like a leverage ploy by Parcells.

To be fair, maybe Parcells wasn’t responsible for leaking the news but it sure does seem like a situation in which Parcells is creating leverage.

If the Vikings wanted to hire Parcells, he would be tasked with filling out a coaching staff from a pool of candidates that have, for the most part, already found jobs. Parcells, who is famous for his line about letting him shop for the groceries if he’s going to be cooking the meal, would also only have a few weeks on the job before the start of the 2012 NFL draft, which is in late April.

If the Vikings pursued him earlier in the year (which is still possible), then this would make more sense. Parcells has been a winner every where he’s been so bringing him on board would’ve been a good move.