The Jersey Guy Who Built a Dynasty: How Bill Parcells Resurrected Big Blue

From a brutal 3-12-1 debut to two Lombardi Trophies, the Hall of Fame coach used local grit and a legendary staff to resurrect Big Blue.

Dec 20, 1986; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; FILE PHOTO; New York Giants head coach Bill Parcells on the sidelines against the Green Bay Packers at Giants Stadium. | Tony Tomsic-Imagn Images

Bill Parcells brought an extensive background in football to the New York Giants. Yet it was his Jersey Guy persona that made it all the more special when he directed the franchise to its first Super Bowl victory as its head coach in 1986.

Parcells grew up in Hasbrouck Heights, less than three miles from Giants Stadium, and forged a stellar career as a linebacker at Wichita State.

He once recorded 20 tackles and 6 sacks in a game against Tulsa and was selected by the Detroit Lions in the seventh round of the 1964 NFL Draft. But they wanted to convert him into an offensive lineman, so he retired and went into coaching.

At the time he took over the Giants in 1983, his only head coaching experience was with Air Force in 1978. However, Parcells made several stops as a defensive assistant from 1964-82, including a six-game stint as the Giants' linebackers coach before resigning to enter the business community in 1979.

Parcells returned as the Giants' defensive coordinator in 1981 and converted the team's 4-3 scheme into a 3-4 to feature rookie linebacker Lawrence Taylor. With three games left in the 1982 schedule, he was named the successor to head coach Ray Perkins, who was headed to Alabama after the season.

After going 3-12-1 during an injury-plagued season, Parcells turned over nearly half of the roster, installed a healthy Phil Simms at quarterback, and molded his club into a hard-nosed, gritty team that befitted his blue-collar work ethic.

The Giants responded with two straight postseason appearances, going 9-7 and 10-6, before the 14-2 squad beat Denver 39-20 in Super Bowl XXI.

Parcells also won Super Bowl XXV with the Giants before stepping away in 1991, citing health reasons, although he later steered New England, the New York Jets, and Dallas to the postseason.

His championship Giants staff included future NFL head coaches Bill Belichick, Romeo Crennel, Ray Handley, Tom Coughlin, and Al Groh.

Parcells was voted AP NFL Coach of the Year twice, in 1986 with the Giants and 1994 with the Patriots. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013 and finished his career with a 172-130-1 coaching record over 19 years, including a 77-49-1 mark with the Giants.

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