The former Cowboys coach Bill Parcells and his wife, Judy Goss, separated amicably in 2002. The ex-wife was present at his Hall of Fame enshrinement speech in 2013, during which he thanked her for her contribution.
Born and raised in New Jersey, Parcells’ dad wanted his son to become a lawyer.
But Bill had already made up his mind. He began his coaching career at age 23, acting as an assistant coach at Hastings.
From 1964 to 1978, Parcells coached various colleges, including Wichita State, Army, Florida State, Texas Tech, and Vanderbilt.
In 1979, Parcells took up his first job as an NFL coach, joining the New York Giants as a defensive coordinator, but resigned after six weeks.
Aug. 22/1941 – Pro-Football Hall Of Fame Head Coach Bill Parcells is born. 2x Coach Of The Year, 2x Super Bowl Champion (NYG – 1987 & 1991) & 172 Coaching Wins. pic.twitter.com/LAO8WbAihs
— Today In History (@TodayThatWas) August 22, 2021
A year later, he joined the Patriots as a linebackers coach for a season.
In 1981, rejoined the New York Giants as their defensive coordinator, and two seasons later, he became their head coach.
Bill won two Super Bowl titles with the Giants. He tried to emulate that success with the Patriots, Jets, and Cowboys but couldn’t win his third title.
Parcells last job in the NFL was with the Dolphins as their executive VP of Football Operations in 2010.
Since then, the legendary coach has conducted interviews here and there, but for the most part, Parcells has tried to stay out of the limelight.
Bill Parcells And His Former Wife, Judy Goss, Do Not Blame Football For Their Separation
Parcells had enrolled at Colgate University but soon transferred to Wichita State University.
There, Parcells met his wife and the woman who would be by his side for the next four decades.
Judy worked as the secretary in the school’s sports information office. The two fell in love quick and hard.
Bill was only 19 when he tied the knot with Judy, who was 20. Before Bill could graduate, he and Judy became parents to a baby girl; they named her Suzzane, also known as Suzy.
In 2002, Judy filed for divorce from her husband of 39 years in Monmouth County, New Jersey.
The court document revealed that Judy complained her husband of nearly 40 years had grown cold and distant.
Speaking to The New York Post, Bill said,
My wife and I have an amiable relationship. There’s nothing here. It’s over and it’s done with, and we have a good relationship.
via: The New York Post
Speaking to The Dolphins Make Me Cry, Judy said she doesn’t blame football for causing the rift between the two.
Goss said she doesn’t resent one minute he spent with football but wished there were times he could have been there when he wasn’t working.
In her interview, Judy sweetly added that she still loves Bill, but he can be a huge pain.
In Bill’s Hall of Fame Speech video, Judy can be seen sitting alongside their three daughters.
At the 15th-minute mark, Bill shows his appreciation for Judy and thanks for keeping the family tight-knit.
In his interview with CBS correspondent Mike Wallace, Bill was asked if coaching killed his marriage, and his answer was similar to Judy’s.
Parcells said he would never blame it [failed marriage] on his job. Bill said he would blame it on himself and the way he was negligent in a lot of respects.
Before Judy and Bill’s divorce, Wallace and Goss had spoken. She told Wallace there were more instances of Bill being unhappy and dissatisfied rather than him being happy.
A 2008 New York Times article mentioned Bill having a girlfriend named Kelly Mandart, but not much is known about her.
Bill Parcells And Judy Goss Are Parents To Three Girls
In their 39 years of marriage, Bill and Judy became parents to three girls- Suzy, Dallas, and Jill Parcells.
As per The Dolphins Make Me Cry, Suzy, the eldest of the three girls, was a dentist.
In that source, Suzy revealed that when her dad was home, the tone of the household was different.
The girls would have to tiptoe around and be careful not to draw their dad’s attention.
Suzy, a swimmer and cheerleader during high school, rarely saw her dad make it to her games.
Jill, the youngest of the three, played basketball during high school, and Bill couldn’t make it to her games as well.
The family’s middle child, Dallas Parcells, is married to Scott Pioli, the former general manager for the Atlanta Falcons.
Scott and Dallas are parents to a daughter named Mia Pioli, who currently attends Boston College.
The three girls have stayed away from the limelight and aren’t active on social media. However, Jill has a Facebook account but has locked her profile.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- In 2020, Bill revealed his love for horses and said a grade 1 win would be on a par with the Super Bowl.
- In 2023, one of Bill’s horses, Maple Leaf Mel, had to be euthanized after an injury at the Saratoga finish line.
