Unfinished business

Parcells says he'll be back to coach Jets next year

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Posted: Monday January 18, 1999 03:25 PM

New experience: Parcells lost for the first time in an AFC Championship game on Sunday AP

DENVER (AP) -- With eight coaches gone from the jobs they held this season, Bill Parcells doesn't plan on being No. 9.

Parcells, who took the New York Jets from 1-15 in 1996, their final year under Rich Kotite, to 13-5 and a berth in the AFC Championship game, on Sunday said he will be back next season.

"Forget that," Parcells said when asked if he would step down after the Jets lost 23-10 to Denver in the title game.

There had been speculation that Parcells might leave, especially if the Jets won the Super Bowl.

Parcells cut short his postgame press conference, pleading exhaustion. But he made it clear he was planning to return next season, saying the Jets need to "start where we started last year, and not try to just pick up where we left off. We have to start over."

Five coaches were fired the day after the regular season ended: Dennis Erickson of Seattle, Ray Rhodes of Philadelphia, Dave Wannstedt of Chicago, Dom Capers of Carolina and Ted Marchibroda of Baltimore.

Since then, Green Bay's Mike Holmgren resigned and took the Seattle job and Marty Schottenheimer of Kansas City quit. June Jones resigned at San Diego to take the job at Hawaii.

Super Bowl regular

Broncos defensive tackle Mike Lodish never makes any plans for late in January. He nearly always is occupied -- at the Super Bowl.

Lodish, a nine-year veteran, played his first five seasons with the Buffalo Bills. He went to four Super Bowls with them.

In 1995, Lodish signed as a free agent with the Broncos. On Jan. 31, he'll play in his second straight Super Bowl with Denver.

Lodish's six Super Bowls will be the most for any player.

Elway takes fifth

John Elway's fifth AFC championship in six trips to the title game means he will start a fifth Super Bowl. No quarterback has done that before.

Elway, who lost the Super Bowl after the 1986, '87 and '89 seasons and won it last year, will break a tie with Roger Staubach, Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw and Jim Kelly, all of whom started four times.

AFC has a favorite

The Broncos were installed as an 81/2-point favorite over Atlanta for the Super Bowl. It is the first time an AFC team has been favored since the 1991 game, in which Buffalo was favored by a touchdown over the Giants.

Atlanta's storybook season apparently doesn't impress the oddsmakers, who also made the Falcons a 60-1 choice to win the Super Bowl when the season began.

Miserable Martin

Curtis Martin looked like anything but a man who has rushed for more than 1,150 yards in each of his four pro seasons.

Martin was held to a measly 14 yards on 13 rushes. He never got any room to run, particularly to the outside. Nor was he able to slash through the line, as is his wont.

"There was a man matched up on me wherever I went," said Martin, a Pro Bowl alternate. "I have to give them credit. They wrapped me up and made the tackles."

Martin also fumbled in the second quarter, his second bobble in two weeks.

"I was just trying to give the extra effort and get some extra yards," he said. "That's when the ball came loose."

Honorary captains

Winston Hill, a starting tackle for the Jets when they won the 1969 Super Bowl, was an honorary captain. An eight-time all-star, he owns several restaurants in the Denver area.

The Broncos' honorary captain was Haven Moses, a wide receiver who is tied for most TDs receiving in Denver history, 44.

 

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