The rumors of Bill Parcells' latest retirement announcement are greatly exaggerated.
When Parcells voluntarily ceded control of football operations to Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland three weeks ago, many assumed it meant "The Big Tuna" was finally leaving football for good.
Parcells revealed on Thursday, however, that he's still not quite ready to retire.
"I am not a sit-around-the-fireplace guy," Parcells said in a conference call Thursday. "I know I want to do something even if it is not day to day or something like that."
Parcells' comments have led to much speculation that his days with the Dolphins may be coming to an end. Parcells is under contract with the Dolphins as a consultant until the end of the 2011 season, but can leave Miami at any time and said he'll figure out his future "when the time comes."
If Parcells is back on the open market, he'll likely receive plenty of attention from teams around the league. Parcells' track record of turning pretenders into contenders is impressive, and even if his coaching days are behind him, he’s proven himself to be a very capable GM.
Parcells won Super Bowls XXI and XXV with the Giants and took the Patriots to Super Bowl XXXI in 1996. He then had success with the Jets, Cowboys, and most recently the Dolphins, leading all three teams to the playoffs at some point during his tenure.
For Parcells, Thursday was the first time he spoke to the media since relinquishing his control of football operations in September. He "[Doesn't] like sitting around," and described his health as "pretty good."
Parcells is set to be inducted into the Giants' Ring of Honor at New Meadowlands Stadium on Sunday, but will not attend the event in person.
