PARCELLS LEAVING THE FINS?

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen dropped a major bombshell during the 11:00 a.m. EST hour of Sunday NFL Countdown. Dolphins V.P. of football operations Bill Parcells could be leaving the team after the current season. Per Mortensen, Parcells’ contract with the Fins includes an “iron-clad” provision allowing Parcells to receive the balance of his pay and walk away if/when owner Wayne Huizenga surrenders control of the team. And since Huizenga is in the process of selling the team to Stephen Ross, that day could be coming soon. Per Mortensen, Parcells will have 30 days to exercise his option to walk away, with pay, once Ross finalizes his purchase of a controlling interest in the team. So, in other words, Parcells would get $12 million for one year of work, and the ability to work his magic as soon as 2009 in another city. Mort identifies the Jets, Browns, Lions, and Raiders as teams with which Parcells could land. But Mort cautions that Parcells would not want to interfere with any opportunities that his son-in-law, Pats V.P. of player personnel Scott Pioli, might have in cities like Cleveland or Detroit. And here’s the most important thing to keep in mind about this report. Mortensen’s source undoubtedly was Parcells himself, given that the two men worked together in 2007 at ESPN, where they co-hosted a Friday night radio show. So this is likely getting out now because Parcells wants it to get out now, which means that he’s thinking about walking away with the money and looking for another team in which he can try to turn things around. Presumably by raiding the Fins’ front office and coaching staff.