Parcells changes his role in Miami

Very strange developments in Miami today, where the Dolphins released a statement on their website announcing that Bill Parcells is changing his role with the team.

The statement reads as follows: "Effective immediately, (general manager) Jeff Ireland will assume full control over all aspects and decisions in regard to the Miami Dolphins football team and support staff. This was the intent of the structure put in place in the past. Bill Parcells will remain with the club on a daily consultant basis."

And that's it. No explanation. No quotes from Parcells. Nothin'.

Which leads to plenty more questions than answers. What happens to Parcells in terms of day-to-day decisions? Did he voluntarily change his role? Was he ousted in a power play? Is he looking to get back into coaching and thus looking to free himself up in the event he'd like to pursue that option? Or else join another team at some point as a general manager? 

Plenty of mystery to the whole situation, indeed. And probably very few answers forthcoming from the Dolphins.

But here's my two cents on the situation: This is not all that big a surprise, and I believe it traces back - at least in part - to the ownership change last year in Miami, when the team was sold by Wayne Huizenga to current owner Stephen Ross.

When Parcells joined the Dolphins before the 2007 season, he was hired by Huizenga. At the time of the four-year contract, Parcells had language put into his contract that allowed him to leave the team and still be paid in the event of an ownership change. Huizenga eventually sold the team to Ross, who took over before last season.

There was speculation at the time that Parcells would consider leaving, but the front-office arrangement remained the same, with Parcells overseeing the football operations and working with his hand-picked general manager, Jeff Ireland, whom he hired from Dallas. Parcells and Ireland hired head coach Tony Sparano, a former Cowboys' assistant.

But there were whispers that Parcells was not happy with Ross' decision to bring in limited partners from the entertainment and sports world, including Gloria Estefan, Marc Anthony, Fergie and Venus and Serena Wiliams.

So while Parcells will apparently stay in close touch with the Dolphins on a consulting basis, today's statement certainly raises questions about his relationship with Ross. The fact that there is no further explanation in today's statement could very well be a reflection that all is not right with the relationship.

Parcells was also known to be uncomfortable with Ross' relationship with former Chiefs general manager Carl Peterson, who has worked as a Dolphins consultant on non-football issues and remains close with Ross.

How does Parcells feel about all this? We don't know; he has spoken publicly only on an occasional basis since joining the team, preferring that Sparano be the lead voice of the organization. And it appears he won't be talking any time soon about this latest move.

Having known Parcells for 25 years, it would not surprise me in the least to see him leave the organization altogether. After all, it would continue a pattern that goes back to his days with the Giants.

Go back to 1991, the year after he won his second Super Bowl with the team. Parcells left the team in May, citing health problems (he eventually underwent heart bypass surgery). But there was also an ownership change in the off-season; Tim Mara, who was extremely close with Parcells, sold his 50 percent stake to Robert Tisch. It was believed that part of Parcells' decision to leave the team had to do with the departure of Mara, as well as his health issues.

Fast forward to 1993, when he was hired by the Patriots and then-owner James Orthwein. But Orthwein sold the team to current owner Robert Kraft in 1994. Parcells led the Patriots to the Super Bowl after the 1996 season, but left the team after a contract dispute with new owner Robert Kraft.

He then moved on to become the Jets' head coach and director of football operations, although the Jets had to pay a heavy draft-choice compensation because of tampering charges brought by the Patriots.

Now go to 2000, when the Jets were sold to Woody Johnson from the estate of the late Leon Hess. Parcells retired from coaching after the 1999 season and spent a year as general manager in 2000. Parcells left the organization after one season under Johnson.

Parcells eventually moved on to coach the Cowboys from 2003-06 under team owner Jerry Jones. The two parted company after four seasons, and it was a generally amicable setup. The transaction that may have hastened Parcells' departure: Jones' decision to sign free agent wide receiver Terrell Owens.

We move on to 2007, and Parcells is undecided between the Dolphins and the Falcons for a job as a football operations director. After appearing to take the job with Atlanta, Parcells instead went to the Dolphins under Huizenga.

So let's do the math here: Parcells has been a head coach or football executive with five franchises, and four of those teams underwent ownership changes during his tenure. In all four instances, Parcells either left the organization or - as is the case now in Miami - he has changed his role.

Sound like a theme to you?