Here’s what New England Patriots onwer Robert Kraft had to say as he introduced Bill Parcells ahead of Parcells Patriots Hall of Fame Induction:
“Welcome everyone, and I’ll say, when we built the Patriots Hall of Fame, our vision was clear. To create a lasting tribute to the legends who made this franchise. Coaches and players whose impact transcended the field. A place where generations of Patriot fans could come to celebrate greatness. Today, we honor two such great icons, Bill Parcells and Julian Edelman.”
“Let me begin with the man who helped lay the very foundation of what the New England Patriots would become in 1993. Bill Parcells stepped into a franchise in turmoil and gave it something desperately needed. Identity, structure, and hope. He didn’t just arrive in Foxborough, he stormed it. Parcells was old school, tough, uncompromising, a head coach with an iron fist, which, by the way, featured two Super Bowl rings.”
“Those rings gave him instant credibility, not just in the locker room, but with the media and across all our fandom. He was a Jersey guy through and through, with a sharp wit and an even sharper tongue. His sideline fire and his ability to challenge and motivate players, often with biting humor, became legendary. He knew how to push buttons, and he loved to bust chops. In his first season, he took the 2-14 team and closed the year with a four-game win streak, capped by a dramatic overtime victory against the Dolphins.
“It was the most excitement Patriot fans had felt in nearly a decade. That momentum and the belief he inspired was a major reason I made the decision to keep the team here in New England and preventing it from moving to St. Louis.
“I paid what was then the highest price ever for any sports professional team anywhere in the world. And in our first year together, Bill led the team to a season exciting, a seven-game win streak at the end, and our first playoff win in eight years. In our next three seasons together, he took us to the playoffs twice and delivered two first time home playoff game wins and we won the AFC championship and went to the Super Bowl.”
“Bill made the players believe, he made the fans believe, and he made me believe. Bill built a culture. He mentored players and coaches who would go on to shape the NFL. He laid the groundwork for the dynasty that followed, guiding future Patriot Hall of Famers and instilling the values that became our identity. Over the years, we’ve both mellowed, we’ve shared laughs, wrapped stories, swapped stories, and reflected on the foundation we built together.
“And today I want to say thank you, Bill. Thank you for the fire, thank you for the fight, thank you for the foundation, and thank you for the many contributions you made to this franchise. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great pleasure to introduce to you one of the greatest head coaches of all time, Coach Bill Parcells.”
(EDITOR’S NOTE: This transcript was done based on the available footage and is subject to typographical errors. If you spot anything, please let me know in the comments below.)
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Ian Logue is a Seacoast native and owner and senior writer for PatsFans.com, an independent media site covering the New England Patriots and has been running this site in one form or another since 1997.
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