Patriots to New Hall of Famer Parcells: Congratulations Coach

On Saturday, seven NFL greats learned their professional football careers would forever be enshrined in Canton, OH.

Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Parcells joined six former NFL players to make up the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2013.

Parcells coached the Patriots from 1993 to 1996 and led New England to Super Bowl XXXI against the Green Bay Packers. The Pats lost that game, 35-21 and Parcells left town to become head coach of the New York Jets.

Prior to his tenure in New England, Parcells coached the New York Giants from 1983 to 1990, winning two Super Bowls with the G-Men. Parcells ended his coaching career in Dallas, coaching the Cowboys from 2003 to 2006.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, who was a longtime assistant coach of Parcells with the Giants, Pats and Jets, said his former boss is one of the league's all-time greats.

“Bill Parcells has been thought of as one of the all-time greats for a long time, so it is with great pride that we can officially refer to him as a Hall of Famer,” Belichick said. “He deserves all the recognition he is getting and for his career to be celebrated in Canton forever."

Patriots CEO and chairman Robert Kraft, who hired Parcells to coach the franchise in 1993, congratulated the guy who helped build the foundation of success in New England.

"Congratulations to coach Parcells on his election into the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Kraft said. “It is well deserved. As a Patriots fan, I will always appreciate the credibility he brought to our franchise as a two-time Super Bowl champion. We had never had a head coach with those credentials. I am very happy for Bill and look forward to his enshrinement ceremonies."

New England Patriots Hall of Famer Troy Brown took to Twitter to offer his congratulations to the coach who drafted him.

“Congrats two Bill Parcells on being voted into the Hall of Fame,” Brown said. “Thanks for giving me the opportunity two fulfill my dream and teaching me how to be a pro.”

The rest of the HOF Class of 2013:

• Warren Sapp, DL Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Jonathan Ogden, OL, Baltimore Ravens
• Larry Allen, OL, Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers
• Cris Carter, WR, Minnesota Vikings
• Dave Robinson, LB, Green Bay Packers, Washington Redskins
• Curley Culp, DT, Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Oilers, Detroit Lions