ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / ECONOMY & WORK

NFL legend Bill Parcells quietly gave $4 million to help out 20 former players in ‘financial crisis’

Parcells wrote the checks worth millions and never even asked the players to pay the money back.
PUBLISHED NOV 7, 2024
(L) Head Coach Bill Parcells of the New York Giants gets carried off the field (R) Bill Parcells at training ground | Cover Image Source: ((L)Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) (R) (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
(L) Head Coach Bill Parcells of the New York Giants gets carried off the field (R) Bill Parcells at training ground | Cover Image Source: ((L)Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) (R) (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)

Coaches are usually known for being tough on the outside, but while they push players hard on the field, they also share an emotional bond with them beyond the game. One such figure was former New York Giants coach Bill Parcells, who according to longtime sports writer Gary Myers, went out of his way to help out players. Speaking to Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Post, Myers shared how Parcells had loaned out about $4 million to 20 of his former players who were in financial distress. Myers shared the story ahead of the release of his book about the 1986 Super Bowl-winning Giants squad, titled “Once a Giant: A Story of Victory, Tragedy, and Life After Football."

Head Coach Bill Parcells of the New York Giants gets carried off the field (Image source: Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Head Coach Bill Parcells of the New York Giants carried across the field (Image source: Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

A Peek into the Heart of Bill The "Big 'Generous' Tuna"

Appearing on WFAN, the former New York-area sportsman mentioned that Parcells gave out the money to his players with no expectation or intention of getting it back. Myers said that Parcells wrote the checks to players who came to him during a financial crisis. “Bill knows when they come to him it’s a last resort," he told Glasspiegel.

New York Jets Head Coach Bill Parcells coaches his team during practice (Image source: Al Pereira/Getty Images/Michael Ochs Archives)
Head Coach Bill Parcells coaches the New York Jets team during practice (Image source: Al Pereira/Getty Images/Michael Ochs Archives)

Myers said he even asked Parcells why he would give out money when he didn’t hope to get it back. He recalled Parcells answering, “These guys have sacrificed so much for me with their bodies and their commitment.” Most of the players that Parcells gave the loans to were the members of the 1986 Giants lineup. Some were players from different teams that Parcells had coached during his career. The story is a part of Myers' book that focuses largely on the 1986 Giants, the team that Parcells guided to their first Super Bowl win.



 

“People are going to find out how Bill Parcells has made this transition from a guy who had love-hate relationships with his players to the patriarch of that ’86 team," Myers said. The sports writer explained that Parcells has put away all the money he needed for the rest of his life and has provided enough for his kids as well. "I think it’s unprecedented,” Myers remarked. He added that he didn't know any other coach who sits down and writes checks to his former players who need financial help.

A Legendary Run as Coach

When Parcells, now 83, stepped in to coach The Giants, the team was going through one of the darkest periods of its history. Parcells only had a short time to turn things around, and pulled it off after working diligently with his players and making controversial moves. He led the team to its first two Super Bowl titles in 1986 and 1990, respectively. 



 

He coached the Giants for eight seasons from 1983-90, before embarking on a brief retirement due to health problems. He then returned to the NFL just three years later, taking over as the head coach of the Patriots in 1993. After spending four seasons with the Patriots he went on to coach the Jets for three years and then the Cowboys for four seasons before finally retiring with a 172-130-1 lifetime record in the NFL. He remains the only coach to lead four different franchises to the playoffs.



 

Over the past decade, Parcells made several visits to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was prominently featured when Lawrence Taylor (1999) gave his induction speech. Parcells was the first to help Taylor with his substance abuse.  “I’d like to thank a coach, that without him ... man I tell you, he’s the coach of coaches, in my opinion,” Taylor said during his speech.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
The sharks did not expect the product to taste as good as it did, considering what it was made from.
5 hours ago
The designer was also commissioned by top brands and worked for the royal family.
6 hours ago
The host had a look of bewilderment on his face which was absolutely hilarious.
7 hours ago
Things did not seem to be going well for the entrepreneur due to her high energy.
10 hours ago
The guest might have had high expectations, but they were quickly brought down to earth.
11 hours ago
The contestant was unable to contain her excitement and hugged the model.
1 day ago
Two of the players got it right, and while the player who lost didn't mind, fans were not satisfied.
1 day ago
Lisa celebrated her birthday in style with a perfect two-card guess to win the big prize.
1 day ago
Rick Harrison did what he could to console the guest who said that he had lost faith in NASCAR.
1 day ago
Both the guest and the expert were fascinated by how well the automaton worked.
2 days ago
One of the entrepreneurs broke down in tears, explaining all the struggles they had to go through.
2 days ago
She couldn’t believe it when her doll was appraised at a five-figure sum, and laughed in disbelief.
2 days ago
Ken Jennings truly has embraced "Jeopardy!" in every way possible at this point.
2 days ago
The comedian was impressed by the simplicity of the product and amused by the pitch.
3 days ago
Harrison usually makes smart deals on the show, but this vintage car buy turned into a costly mistake.
3 days ago
Had she started the game in a better way, she might have won the five-figure prize money.
3 days ago
Barbara Corcoran made the exact same offer, and she wasn't happy about being rejected.
4 days ago
The guest believed that it was worth a modest amount of money, but that was clearly not the case.
4 days ago
With James Holzhauer in the lead, Amy Schneider and Andrew He decided to joke around.
4 days ago
Barbara Corcoran told the founders that she had never seen Greiner so passionate.
4 days ago