NFL Hall of Fame Class of 2013: Bill Parcells in, Michael Strahan falls short

Bill Parcells named to the NFL Hall of Fame Class of 2013 on Saturday. Michael Strahan was a finalist, but fell short of election.

Parcells became the 19th member of the Pro Football of Fame to have spent all or a significant portion of their NFL careers with the Giants. Strahan was in his first year of eligibility. Parcells was on the ballot for the fourth time.The former Giants' coach was also a finalist in 2012, but was not elected.

"It's just unbelievable. It's exhilarating. It's a great thrill," Parcells said.

Parcells was the Giants' head coach from 1983-90. He was 77-49-1 in the regular season and 8-3 in the postseason, including victories in Super Bowls XXI and XXV. He later coached the New England Patriots, the Jets and the Dallas Cowboys. He also reach the Super Bowl with New England and is the only head coach to take four different teams to the playoffs. His 183 career regular-season and post-season victories would place him seventh among Hall of Fame coaches.

“I’m very happy for Bill. This is long overdue," said Giants President and CEO John Mara. "He’s one of the best coaches in NFL history. He turned our franchise around. We went through a long period in the 1960’s and 70’s when we were a laughing stock. When Bill took over in 1983 he survived a very difficult first year, but then turned us into a perennial playoff contender and won two Super Bowls for us. He coached three other teams and everywhere he went, he had great success. I’m very happy that he will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”

Parcells' coaching tree includes Tom Coughlin, Bill Belichick and Sean Payton.

“I don’t think there’s any question that Bill Parcells is a Hall of Fame coach. He has Hall of Fame accomplishments throughout his entire career," Coughlin said.

Strahan played for the Giants from 1993-2007. He is the franchise leader in games played (216) and sacks (141.5), as well as the NFL's single-season sacks record-holder with 22.5 in 2001. Strahan was a four-time first-team All-Pro: 1997, 1998, 2001 and 2003. He was the 2001 NFL AP Defensive Player of the Year. Strahan was selected to seven Pro Bowls. Only four Giants have been selected to more Pro Bowls and all are Hall of Famers: linebackers Lawrence Taylor (10) and Harry Carson (9), offensive tackle Rosie Brown (9) and cornerback Emlen Tunnell (8).

Here are the other newly-elected Hall of Famers:

Former Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Larry Allen, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Cris Carter, Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Warren Sapp.

Two senior nominees, former Kansas Chiefs defensive tackle Curly Culp and former Green Bay Packers linebacker Dave Robinson also were elected.