| | NEW YORK -- The NFL conducted a day-long hearing on Bill
Belichick's grievance Thursday as the coach sought clarification of
his contract status.
An attorney for Belichick said the coach should be released from his contract with the a href="/nfl/clubhouses/nyj.html">New York
Jets because the team no longer is interested in him.
After presenting their case before NFL commissioner Paul
Tagliabue and Jets president Steve Gutman, Jeffrey Kessler
indicated his client should be free to negotiate with any team
that does desire his services.
"The Jets don't want to employ him," Kessler said. "The Jets
made it very clear that they have no interest in Bill Belichick
anymore."
Belichick, who also attended the meeting, offered no insight as to its content.
"I appreciate the opportunity to state my case before the NFL,"
said Belichick, who resigned as coach one day after Parcells
stepped aside.
The Jets, who had the opportunity to present more evidence in the Bill
Belichick hearing on Friday, will not do so, ESPN's Jeremy Schaap
reported Thursday night.
There will be no decision Friday by the NFL. The earliest any decision will be made and announced will be Monday.
Belichick resigned as Jets coach on Jan. 4, one day after Bill Parcells stepped aside and anointed the defensive
coordinator as his successor. Belichick cited uncertainties about
the Jets' ownership situation amid speculation that he was
interested in a more powerful post as general manager and coach of
the New England Patriots.
Belichick has three years remaining on a Jets contract signed
when he came with Parcells from the Patriots before the 1997
season. The Jets, sold on Monday for $635 million to Robert Wood
Johnson, have argued that the contract is ironclad and will demand
compensation to let Belichick out of it. In a deal brokered by
commissioner Paul Tagliabue, the Patriots got four draft choices to
allow Parcells to leave New England for New York.
After each side presented 15-minute opening statements Thursday, Parcells was the first witness, followed by Charlie Weis, the Jets' offensive coordinator, and Belichick.
Following an afternoon break, the hearing resumed with the Jets cross-examining their former defensive coordinator.
Tagliabue sat in for the first part of the testimony but then
left to conduct another hearing on the suspension of Cleveland
Browns offensive lineman Orlando Brown.
No decision in the Belichick grievance was expected before next week.
| |
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