Vikings fans: Don't hold your breath on Bill Parcells. This one's a nonstarter.
When the New York Post reported Wednesday that Vikings owner Zygi Wilf was offering Parcells a chance to "name his price" and "run the show" in Minnesota, something didn't feel right.Â
NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora wasted no time in shooting down the story, per a source close to Parcells. The Vikings have shot down the report.
The Post stated Parcells revealed Wilf's interest at a recent dinner with Saints coach Sean Payton and friends. Parcells didn't sound ready to jump at it, reportedly wondering out loud if the game had "passed me by."
A single-season interim gig with the Saints fits Parcells for a variety of reasons, which we explored over the weekend. The temptation to return to the game for one season and assist Sean Payton obviously appeals to Parcells, but rebooting the machine with the Vikings? It doesn't fit for a variety of reasons:
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• Parcells turns 71 in August, making this an awkward time to launch a long-term project with a Vikings franchise in need of significant work.
• Even if Wilf desired Parcells -- and it's not out of the question, he grew up a Giants fan -- the time element is a factor. The table is set for Parcells in New Orleans, where Payton trusts his mentor to work with the existing roster and coaching staff. Grabbing the reins of the Vikings at this stage is implausible. Organizations can't pull from other teams' coaching staffs in April, and we're weeks away from the NFL draft. The Vikings are moving forward with coach Leslie Frazier and general manager Rick Spielman, at least for now.
• NFL.com's Gil Brandt is tight with Parcells and believes Hall of Fame induction remains a factor for the coach. Parcells' eligibility clock resets back to five years and counting if he takes the Saints' gig. Would he be willing to test Father Time on a multiyear deal with another team? Parcells lacks deep connection with Wilf or anyone else on the Vikings. Money talks, but one last go for the "Big Tuna" requires a deeper sense of mission.
