The ice has thawed enough in Foxborough for New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and former coach Bill Parcells to have a reconciliation.
Kraft announced Tuesday from the NFL's Annual League Meeting that Parcells accepted his induction into the club's Hall of Fame.
"While both of us are alive, in our late 30s," Kraft quipped, "I thought it would be great given what he's done for the team if he would accept entry as a contributor into the Patriots Hall of Fame and he accepted."
Kraft, 83, noted that Parcells, 83, had been up for induction five previous times.
A two-time Super Bowl winner with the New York Giants, Parcells came out of his first retirement to join the Patriots in 1993 after the club went 2-14 in 1992. He led the club for four seasons, earning two playoff berths and getting the Pats to the Super Bowl in 1996.
"In the early 1990s, the Patriots were in disarray," Kraft said in a statement. "But the hiring of Bill Parcells in 1993, a two-time Super Bowl Champion, brought instant credibility to the franchise. We had never had a head coach with his credentials. He was a master motivator and always got the most out of his players. In my first season as owner, he led us on that unforgettable seven-game win streak to qualify for the playoffs. Two years later, he accomplished something Patriots fans had never seen before, leading us to our first two home playoff wins in franchise history, and another trip to the Super Bowl. Those are memories I will never forget and achievements worthy of this honor. As a five-time finalist for our Hall of Fame, I am sure he would have been voted in eventually, but I wanted to expedite the process so he can enjoy the ceremony. I look forward to welcoming Bill back to Foxborough and celebrating his induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame."
Kraft bought the Patriots in 1994. He and Parcells clashed over personnel, ultimately leading the coach to exit the organization. The friction between sides bubbled over as the team approached Super Bowl XXXI, with rumors that Parcells would leave for New York overshadowing the week lead-up to the game. At the time, Kraft didn't view Parcells as putting the team first.
Explaining his departure from New England led to Parcells' famous line: "They want you to cook the dinner, at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries."
All these years later, the two keystones of NFL history can finally have dinner together.
