Yesterday morning, the two completed the agreement. They informed the N.F.L., which will review the final deal. The Jets gave the Patriots permission to talk to Belichick early yesterday morning. Belichick said he was flabbergasted when he got a call from Parcells at 7 a.m. yesterday. Kraft called Belichick at 10 a.m., and he was in Foxboro, Mass., within hours. At 6 p.m., Belichick was introduced as the Patriots' coach.

''Hopefully, this press conference will go a little better than the last one I had,'' Belichick said, alluding to the rambling monologue he delivered when he resigned from the Jets. ''The opportunity to be in coaching was something I wasn't sure I would have as late as 24 hours ago and I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to coach in the 2000 season. It was quite an ordeal, but it's behind me.''

In a later telephone news conference, Belichick said: ''I didn't resign to get to this spot. I resigned because I wasn't comfortable with the situation with the Jets.''

Regarding speculation that he left the Jets because he didn't want to be in Parcells's shadow, Belichick said: ''If I wanted to get out of Bill's shadow, I wouldn't have come to New England. There's a shadow up here, too.''

Belichick also said that he has a handshake agreement with Kraft, but no signed contract yet. The new Patriots' coach said his role in player personnel matters is not yet clearly defined, although he expects to discuss that soon with the Patriots' owner. Belichick said he has been assured that he will have a say in draft selections and free-agent acquisitions. There has been speculation that Kraft wanted Belichick to fill the roles of both coach and general manager.

In addition to the first-round pick, which gives the Jets the 16th and 18th overall choices in this year's draft, the Jets will receive the Patriots' fourth- and seventh-round picks next year, while the Jets give the Patriots their fifth-round selection in 2001 and the seventh-round pick in 2002. In 1997, the Jets gave the Patriots four draft picks over three years, including their first-round pick in 1999, to get Parcells, who had just led the Patriots to the Super Bowl.

''I think it's win-win for everybody,'' Parcells said. ''If I were him, and things were reversed, I would have paid it, too. Now, we're in a position to help our team.''