"Life’s too short for that kind of stuff" - Bill Parcells makes feelings known about issues with Robert Kraft

Bill Parcells is finally getting his red jacket. The legendary coach will be inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame this year, marking the end of a decades-long cold war between him and Patriots owner Robert Kraft. The two had a well-documented fallout in the 1990s.

“I personally feel that those days are over," Parcells said on Tuesday, via the Boston Globe. "Life’s too short for that kind of stuff. We haven’t interacted much, but I think we both pretty much feel the same way.”

Kraft announced it during the NFL owners' meetings on Tuesday, revealing that Parcells had been a finalist five times but had never gotten the nod until now. The timing, Kraft explained, felt right.

“While both of us are alive, I thought it would be great given what he’s done for the team,” Kraft said on Tuesday, via the Boston Globe.

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Parcells took over the struggling New England Patriots in 1993 and quickly turned them into contenders. Under his leadership, they made two playoff appearances and reached the 1997 Super Bowl — New England’s first in over a decade. However, his tenure ended on a sour note.

Disputes over personnel control and rumors of him bolting for the New York Jets overshadowed their Super Bowl run. Green Bay beat New England 35-21 and Parcells left for New York the next day.

For years, it seemed like that breakup had cost Parcells his place in Foxborough history, but Kraft wants to change that.

“In the early 1990s, the Patriots were in disarray, but the hiring of Bill Parcells in 1993, a two-time Super Bowl Champion, brought instant credibility to the franchise," Kraft said. "We had never had a head coach with his credentials,” Kraft said in a statement. “He was a master motivator and always got the most out of his players.

The induction date has yet to be announced but Foxborough is ready to welcome Parcells home.

Robert Kraft lays down expectations for Patriots’ 2025 season

Robert Kraft isn’t here for a rebuild. He’s here to win. The longtime Patriots owner made it clear that his expectation for the 2025 season is simple: make the playoffs.

“Ever since I’ve owned the team, the objectives were for the team to make the playoffs,” Kraft said on Tuesday, via the Boston Globe. “Because once you make the playoffs, anything can happen.”

New England has struggled since the post-Tom Brady era, missing the playoffs in each of the last three seasons. They hit rock bottom in 2024 with a 4-13 record, but Robert Kraft believes a turnaround is coming. He pointed to the addition of Mike Vrabel, the 2021 Coach of the Year, as a game changer for the locker room.

“We’re on that path now,” Kraft said.

The Pats have been active in free agency and hold the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft — another key piece to their rebuild.

Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez