Former NFL coach Bill Parcells has agreed to a four-year deal proposed by owner Wayne Huizenga to make him the team's head of football operations, a source has told The Miami Herald.
Huizenga was at the Dolphins' training facility for approximately one hour, from 4:45 p.m. to just before 6 p.m., where he met with Cam Cameron in the coach's office. The futures of both Cameron and general manager Randy Mueller are currently unknown.
The negotiations have been on-going between Parcells' agent, Jimmy Sexton, and Miami owner Wayne Huizenga throughout the day. The Dolphins are not commenting publicly about the deal.
Although published and Internet reports early Wednesday said Parcells was ready to take an offer from the Atlanta Falcons to become their vice-president in charge of football operations -- a job that would grant him the power to hire a general manager and head coach -- Parcells backed out of that offer later in the day.
''Prior to the information becoming public, we reached agreement in principle with Bill,'' Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank said in a statement. ``We met this morning to complete the contract. At that time we were made aware that he is considering a revised offer from the Miami Dolphins.
``He later informed us he would not be signing a contract with us.''
An ESPN report stating Parcells had backed out of the deal with Atlanta and was talking to the Dolphins flashed across the multiple plasma TV screens in the Miami locker room while players were between practice and meetings.
''We're going to have a new daddy,'' offensive tackle L.J. Shelton joked.
Defensive tackle Vonnie Holliday sees adding Parcells as a good thing.
''We talk a lot throughout this league and Bill Parcells is one of those names that if he comes in and he's on board, he's a guy that's going to get things going in the right direction,'' Holliday said. ``He's the Big Tuna.''
Jeff Darlington contributed to this report.
http://www.miamiherald.com/616/story/350561.html