The border war is over.

That's what Bill Parcells called the compensation settlement reached by the New York Jets and New England Patriots over Bill Belichick.

Belichick was freed by the Jets to coach the Patriots when New England agreed to send this year's first-round draft pick (16th overall), plus a fourth- and seventh-rounder in 2001. The Jets agreed to send the Patriots a fifth-round selection in 2001 and a seventh in 2002.

But just as significant, according to Parcells, was being able to mend his three-year feud with Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

"Tuesday night I called Bob Kraft personally and spoke with him and kind of asked him if he was interested in Bill coaching the team," Parcells said. "We spent quite a bit of time talking about the past, mended a lot of fences and kind of explained our feeling to one another.

"We hadn't spoken to each other in three years. We came to an agreement that regardless of what happened with Bill Belichick, this kind of border war between the Patriots and Jets needed to come to a halt.

"Quite frankly, I was kind of anxious that we make an attempt to repair the relationship, and he agreed."

Parcells left the Patriots, whom he guided to the AFC championship in 1996, to join the Jets in 1997. He complained about Kraft taking away much of his power on personnel decisions, and their semi-public disagreement was a sideshow at the Super Bowl.

Since then, the Patriots have gotten worse every year under Parcells' replacement, Pete Carroll, a fact that has not been lost on Kraft.

If things had been done differently, he said at the news conference announcing Belichick's hiring, "Perhaps the New England Patriots, well, maybe they'd be playing down in Atlanta today."

When the Jets sought Parcells, they had to negotiate a compensation package with Kraft, who got four draft choices: a first-rounder, a second, a third and a fourth, although not in the same year.

Each time the Patriots played the Jets, the enmity between the sides drew headlines.

Now, Parcells hopes that is done.

"I know the competition will be fierce, but I think these things that were alluded to a lot ... probably will disappear," said Parcells, who stepped down as Jets coach on Jan. 3.

One day later, Belichick, the hand-chosen successor, quit the team, citing uncertainty with the ownership situation. But after he filed a grievance with the league that was dismissed, then went to court for an injunction and was denied, it was clear Belichick had other motives.

He wanted to coach the Patriots.

The job became his Thursday, and Parcells believes the animosity between himself and Kraft has been eliminated.

"I thought it was in the best interest of everyone to make the attempt, and Bob was receptive toward it, I think," Parcells said. "It was important to me. I really do believe in the National Football League and the competition is always strong, but compatability -- we are in this together in a lot of ways -- is in everyone's best interest, to have relationships you can work with."