Published: September 05, 2007 11:38 pm            

Jones says Parcells was allowed to pursue Giants job

If Bill Parcells looked into becoming the general manager of the New York Giants while he was still coach of the Dallas Cowboys, as reported in an upcoming book, such a move was OK by his old boss, Jerry Jones.

Jones said Wednesday he had no choice: Parcells’ contract allowed him to look for GM jobs.

“He couldn’t leave to go coach someplace else,” Jones said. “That’s what we had negotiated the year before. So for Bill to, in any way, with the Giants and with people that he knows, to have implied that, well, he might be taking a look at what he might be doing next year — which, in my mind, automatically implied he may be doing television or he might even be doing general manager’s work — that doesn’t let me down.”

The book, “The GM: The Inside Story of a Dream Job and the Nightmares That Go With It,” by Tom Callahan, was obtained by the (New York) Daily News. It is to be released Sept. 18.

The book looks at the 2006 Giants and their retiring GM, Ernie Accorsi. It says that on Dec. 3, the day the Cowboys faced the Giants at The Meadowlands, Parcells made it clear he wanted the job.

Dallas won the game 23-20, so Parcells apparently wasn’t too distracted.

“The one thing that I never questioned, and that I admired him for, was his focus and his attention to detail, not only on game day but on other days as well,” Jones said. “He basically could’ve been just making some time there. But I don’t question his focus on the game or his intensity on the game. I can assure you that (distraction) didn’t happen.”

Parcells coached the Giants to Super Bowl victories following the 1986 and 1990 seasons. He coached the Cowboys the last four years and now works for ESPN. He denied interest in the Giants GM job when it was reported in January; soon after, the job went to Jerry Reese.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.