It’s not over yet, Jets fans. The idea of Bill Parcells on the sidelines for the year 2000 is not dead yet.
Woody Johnson, the Jets’ new owner, who was welcomed into the league unanimously by a vote of the NFL owners yesterday at the Waldorf Astoria, said in
no uncertain terms that his No. 1 hope is to convince Parcells to coach for one more season.
“I’d love to have Bill Parcells coach another year, no question,” Johnson said, standing at a podium and comfortably spinning an NFL football in his hands. “Am I optimistic I can [convince him to stay another year]? I guarantee we will know by the end of the week. We have decided that by the end of the week we are going to resolve this decision.
“I have met with or talked to Bill Parcells every day,” Johnson went on. “We discussed with Bill Parcells the world is the only limit. He is a very unusual man and one that has brought a life to this team that we haven’t had since Joe Namath. He is a winner in every way.
“He is not the easiest person to read. In fact, he is very difficult to read. But is a quick study, very direct, very honest. He will be a great coach to continue with the New York Jets, that is for sure.”
Johnson shot down a report this week that claimed Parcells has already informed him that he doesn’t want to coach, saying specifically that Parcells has not informed him of any direction he’ll take.
“No decision has been made,” Johnson said. “We will have a decision on Bill Parcells by the end of the week, because the crunch is on. This is when a lot of decisions concerning next year’s team and the draft are made. So we are looking at the role that Bill Parcells will play … we hope as large a role as he feels like playing, because he is a proven winner.”
Parcells did not return phone calls to his office yesterday.
Johnson said he plans to meet with Parcells again “face to face” today.
Citing a story in yesterday’s editions of The Post as accurate, Johnson, too, said that the reason no Jets head coach has been named as of yet is “absolutely linked” and “definitely related to” the still-open Bill Belichick issue.
NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue said yesterday he’ll likely have a decision on the Belichick hearing tomorrow or Friday. Belichick, who resigned as Parcells’ successor the day after Parcells retired from coaching, is trying to free himself from the final three years on his Jet contract.
Tagliabue is likely to rule that any team that wants to hire Belichick will owe the Jets compensatory draft picks. Tagliabue, too, said that Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft “just asked me [yesterday] morning what was my timetable” for a decision on the hearing.
Once that issue has been settled, the Jets will have either Parcells back or a new head coach, most likely Al Groh.
Johnson wouldn’t say whether he’s tried to lure Parcells to stay with a significant pay raise.
“We have had discussions and we have talked about what he wants to do,” Johnson said. “We’ve had private discussions and I’d rather not characterize them. Despite what I read in the paper occasionally — I don’t think he’s motivated by money.”
Johnson spoke about trying to “keep continuity” on the team and “trying to stabilize what is perceived as some instability in certain ranks” on the team. He added that he wants to “put a first-class management” in place, saying that he’s retaining Jets’ president Steve Gutman.
Johnson was asked specifically, if Parcells decides not to coach, would he follow Parcells’ recommendation for a new head coach — for example, Groh, whom Parcells has spoken to about the possibility of taking over.
“I’d like to have Bill’s decision and his recommendation would certainly be listened to, maybe determinative, because he knows this business,” Johnson said.
In a later interview, however, Johnson said that a decision on a head coach, should Parcells opt not to coach again, could take up to a couple of weeks.
“There will be a decision on Bill Parcells by the end of the week, but the coaching situation may not be cleared up by the end of the week,” Johnson said. “If Bill Parcells says no, then a search for a new head coach will begin. It could take two weeks. You have to make sure you make the right decision.”
Asked specifically if he and Parcells have talked about the possibility of Groh taking over, Johnson said, “That has been mentioned. I can see a relationship that is one of trust. [Parcells] has a very, very high opinion of Al Groh.”
Johnson met Groh for a very brief moment the day he first toured Weeb Ewbank Hall last week.
Groh is in Mobile, Ala., at the Senior Bowl and was unavailable for comment.
In another significant issue that’ll be more pressing later, Johnson spoke of wanting to get the Jets into their own stadium once their Giants Stadium lease expires in 2008.
“The Jets never had their own stadium,” Johnson said. “Every game they’ve played for the last 39-plus years have been away games. They have never had the home-field advantage.”
For now, though, Johnson’s only concern is securing himself the Bill Parcells advantage.