Big Tuna Takes the Bait

Well Miami Dolphins head of football operations and former NFL head coach Bill Parcells finally bit. He went for the media bait that Dolphin defensive tight end Jason Taylor set by responding to Taylor’s claim that he’s been disrespected by Parcells (a.k.a. “The Big Tuna”).

Taylor, who has played 11 years in the pros, has 117.0 career sacks, seven interceptions and 662 tackles (491 solo tackles), has been hinting at a few things. First, he’s said that he’s open to a trade or to playing just one more year with the Fins. Taylor has been very clear about his feeling that Parcells has disrespected him. However, Parcells, today, was equally clear about the fact that he did not “diss” Taylor and that the DE is wrong

Here’s why Taylor believes he was done wrong. He says that he was snubbed by Parcells. Taylor went to the Miami training camp for a brief visit with head coach Sarprona, and when he looked into a room that the Big Tuna was in Parcells snubbed him. At least that’s Taylor’s perception.

Parcells says that there was no intentional snub. but that he was looking at game film with a bunch of folks in the room and didn’t see the NFL’s defensive player of 2007 pop in. Parcells also noted that he wears hearing aids and did not have them in that day. The top executive said he’s not trying to make excuses but believes that there’s been an honest mistake. He simply did not see or hear Taylor.

Parcells, who knows talent and loves to win, rhetorically asked the media “Why wouldn’t you want one of the very best players?” Of course, the Big Tuna, who has spent some time as a network commentator and being part of the mass media, knows how things can get blown out of proportion by writers and reporters.

The skinny—look for Parcells to make-up with Taylor. Taylor is too valuable to lose or to spend his 2008 season as a malcontent member of the Dolphins. Parcells and Taylor have one thing in common– both want to win.