Miami Dolphins Win the AFC East Championship but May Face Bigger Loss in Bill Parcells

What a great year to be a Miami Dolphins fan. After a dismal 1-15 season last year (worst in the NFL) that saw very little highlights, the Dolphins did a total 180 and went from worst to first and have won the AFC East Championship with an 11-5 record. The playoff appearance marks the first time since 2001 that the Miami Dolphins have gone past the regular season. The AFC Championship is the Dolphin's first since 2000. But as great as the turnaround is, it is not the big story down in Miami. Although the Miami Dolphins have won so much this year, they stand to lose Bill Parcells, the man who got them to where they are (source: espn.com).

Bill Parcells joined the Miami Dolphins after last season as the executive vice president of football operations (source: espn.com) and got right to work getting rid of players and coaches who did not fit his mold and wasting no time bringing in those that did. The head coach of the Miami Dolphins, Tony Sparano was handpicked by Parcells and the results were immediate. In one season under the leadership of Parcells, the Dolphins went from the laughing stock of the NFL to an actual contender. Instead of teams just marking a win down when they see the Dolphins on the schedule, they now know that they are in for a fight.

But what many a DolFan (nickname for Dolphin Fan) didn't know is that when Bill Parcells signed his contract, he left himself a clause that would allow him to opt out (and be fully compensated) if owner Wayne Huizenga were to sell his majority ownership of the team. It is that scenario that is playing out as Huizenga is in the process of selling his stake to current minority team owner Stephen Ross. While Ross and Huizenga have both expressed the fact that they would like for Parcells to stay, it is only Parcells himself that can and will make that decision. Once the sale goes through, Parcells has 30 days to let Ross know whether he will walk away and take the $9 million balance of his contract with him (source: espn.com).

If Bill Parcells is to leave the Miami Dolphins he will likely go to another team and do what he does best; turn it around. Parcells has done it everywhere he has stopped during his run in the NFL. And while his progress is seen and appreciated by the DolFans, they do not want him to go. While winning an AFC East Championship and a playoff appearance are big victories for the Miami Dolphins, they will pale in comparison to the huge loss that will be sustained should Bill Parcells decide to leave.