By Mark Maske
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, December 20, 2007

The Miami Dolphins reached an agreement with Bill Parcells late yesterday on a four-year contract under which the retired coach would become a front office executive and oversee football operations, a source familiar with the negotiations said.

The Dolphins could only hope the deal with Parcells would result in a signed contract. Parcells's talks with the Dolphins intensified after he rejected an offer from the Atlanta Falcons for a similar job earlier in the day. Falcons owner Arthur Blank said that Parcells backed out of a tentative deal with him.

Parcells's discussions with the Dolphins restarted when owner Wayne Huizenga told Parcells he would not sell the franchise, according to the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the agreement had not been announced. The source said he expected Parcells and the Dolphins to complete the contract without complications.

The one thing that was clear during the day of plot twists was that Parcells, 66, is ready to return to the NFL, but not as a coach. He has been out of the league this season, working as a studio analyst for ESPN, after resigning from the Dallas Cowboys following their first-round playoff loss in Seattle last season.

In Miami, Parcells would inherit a team that has a 1-13 record under General Manager Randy Mueller and first-year coach Cam Cameron. It's possible that both could lose their jobs if Parcells joins the Dolphins. When he was discussing the Falcons' job with Blank, the plan was for Parcells to hire a general manager to replace Rich McKay and then bring in a new coach.

Blank said in a written statement issued by the Falcons that the team had "an agreement in principle" with Parcells to head its football operations, and planned to complete the contract during a morning meeting. It is thought that Blank met with Parcells at Parcells's home in Saratoga, N.Y.

"At that time, we were made aware by Parcells that he was considering a revised offer from the Miami Dolphins," Blank said. "He later informed us that he would not be signing a contract with us. . . . We gave it our best shot, and it didn't work out."

Parcells had told the New York Daily News earlier in the day that he "probably" would take the job with the Falcons, and outlined plans to share decision-making power with his general manager and coach.

Blank said that McKay is being retained as the president of the Falcons but will relinquish his GM duties when a replacement is hired. The reversal by Parcells was the latest blow to the Falcons, who have a record of 3-11 and are reeling from the legal troubles of quarterback Michael Vick and last week's abrupt departure of first-year coach Bobby Petrino.

Petrino resigned to take a college job at Arkansas, one day after Vick was sentenced to 23 months in federal prison for his role in a dogfighting operation. The Falcons named veteran NFL assistant Emmitt Thomas their interim coach, and reportedly already had been rebuffed by former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher as a coaching candidate.

When Parcells quit the Cowboys, he indicated he was retiring from coaching. He had returned to the sideline previously after announcing his retirement, but most observers believed this time that Parcells wouldn't coach again. It always was clear, however, that he might return in a front office role. There were reports linking Parcells to the New York Giants' general manager job before that team hired Jerry Reese after last season to replace the retiring Ernie Accorsi. Parcells has had success as a roster builder, most recently leaving the Cowboys sufficiently stocked with talent for his successor as coach, Wade Phillips, to have the club in the lead for the top seed in the NFC playoffs.

Wide receiver Terrell Owens told reporters that Jessica Simpson shouldn't attend any more Cowboys games after quarterback Tony Romo faltered Sunday with her in attendance as his guest. "Right now, Jessica Simpson is not a fan favorite -- in this locker room or in Texas Stadium," Owens said. . . .

The league denied the appeal of Cowboys safety Roy Williams, meaning he will serve a one-game suspension for Sunday's horse-collar tackle of Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb . . . .

The Detroit Lions placed wide receiver Roy Williams on the injured reserve list, ending his season. He missed the last two games with a knee injury. . . .

Eagles linebacker Takeo Spikes is headed to the injured reserve list because of surgery for a torn rotator cuff.