"Craziest sh*t I've ever seen" - Ex-Jets WR reminisces wild Bill Belichick fight with Bill Parcells over defensive play call

Bill Belichick is considered the greatest head coach in the history of the NFL, having won six titles with the New England Patriots in the 2000s and 2010s. But before assuming that job, he was working with another legend in Bill Parcells, as the defensive coordinator of the divisional rival New York Jets.

And according to former wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson, the two once fought over whether to use him on the other side of the ball during the 1998-99 AFC Divisional Round game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. On Tuesday's episode of Julian Edelman's Games with Names podcast, he recalled:

“Before the half, (wide receiver) Jimmy Smith scored, I believe, so I was supposed to go in the game and be the safety. Parcells and Belichick got into it, and it was the craziest [expletive] that I’ve ever seen on the sideline between two coaches, because Belichick didn’t want to put me in and Parcells wanted to put me in.”

The Jets eventually won that game 34-24, but lost 10-23 at the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game the following week. After a regression to 8-8 the following season, Parcells stepped aside for Belichick, who then infamously resigned via a napkin during his introductory press conference and joined the Patriots not long after.

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Keyshawn Johnson recalls when Bill Belichick resigned as Jets HC

Speaking of Bill Belichick's resignation, Keyshawn Johnson recalled that he was working out at the Jets' facility when it happened (begins at 1:31:00 in the video below):

“They said, ‘I think Bill is getting ready to retire.’ F**k you mean? I go up to Parcells’ office and he’s there. He’s like *mumbles*, some ol’ bull sh*t or whatever. So, now Berj is taking me back down to the team room, and here comes Belichick, got the little napkin. He’s reading it, the media’s there, and I’m like ‘What the f**k just happened?'”

Some three months later, the then-two-time Pro Bowler was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He said of the move:

“Parcells became president of the team, he had full autonomy and authority to do what he wanted to. Parcells is actually the one that traded me.”

As a Buccaneer, Johnson made another Pro Bowl in 2001 and won a Super Bowl in 2002. He ended his career in 2007 after stints at Dallas and Carolina.