Parcells Denies Rift With J. Taylor

There's plenty of back-tracking and making up going on between the Miami Dolphins and defensive end Jason Taylor.

First it was Taylor saying he isn't demanding a trade and would play for the Dolphins next season if he's not dealt. Then it was Coach Tony Sparano saying the team would welcome back Taylor.

Now it's front office czar Bill Parcells.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Parcells said: "Why wouldn't you want one of the very best players? This thing has kind of taken on a life of its own and a large measure of this 'rift' is fabrication. I don't really know what the genesis was, other than there was some talk about a trade and people naturally thinking that when I come in it's going to be confrontational. And that's not necessarily true."

Parcells also said an earlier report, confirmed by Taylor, that he had ignored Taylor when the defensive end had visited the Dolphins' training facility was false.

"See, that's not true," Parcells told the AP. "It's not true. It's my understanding--okay, and I could be misinterpreting, but I don't think I am--that he came to meet with Coach Sparano. There were 25 or 30 people in this room. We were doing film and, apparently, he may have stuck his hand in the door and maybe I wasn't paying attention. I wear hearing aids. That particular day, I didn't have them with me. I'm not trying to make an excuse, but there was no intentional, calculated, disrespectful thing that I personally did. I know that for a fact."

By Mark Maske |  June 5, 2008; 2:40 PM ET  | Category:  Dolphins
Previous: Speculation That Tyree Could Be Squeezed Off Giants' Roster Is Misguided | Next: Steroids Dealer Who Met With NFL Officials Reportedly Found Dead in Home

The comments to this entry are closed.