Hall of Fame snubs Bill Belichick and sports world is gagged: ‘I can’t be reading this right’
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- Bill Belichick, one of the NFL’s most successful coaches with six Super Bowl victories, failed to gain Hall of Fame election on his first ballot.
- Sports figures from Patrick Mahomes to LeBron James expressed shock and outrage.
- Spygate and Deflategate scandals from his Patriots era reportedly influenced voters, though only three coaches have ever been elected to the Hall on first ballot.
Bill Belichick is one of the most successful coaches in NFL history.
He won’t be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
ESPN broke the news Tuesday that Belichick won’t be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Multiple media outlets have since confirmed the report. The Hall‘s class of 2026 will be announced Feb. 5 at NFL Honors in San Francisco.
Belichick won six Super Bowls and nine AFC championships as head coach of the New England Patriots from 2000-2023. He’s a three-time coach of the year. He has more postseason wins (31) than any other NFL head coach and his 333 wins in the regular season and playoffs — counting his five seasons as the Cleveland Browns’ head coach from 1991-1995 — are the second most to Don Shula’s 347. He also won two Super Bowls as the New York Giants defensive coordinator.
Bill Belichick says he appeared on ‘CBS Sunday Morning’ to promote his new book, not talk about how the 73-year-old met his girlfriend, 24-year-old Jordon Hudson.
Yet, Belichick was unable to muster the necessary 40 votes from a 50-member selection committee composed of football reporters and other prominent figures in football. The Hall of Fame called Belichick last week to inform him of the result, according to ESPN, which reported that the current North Carolina head coach was “puzzled” and “disappointed” by the outcome.
He’s not the only one who feels that way.
“I don’t understand it,” former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who played 20 seasons under Belichick, told Seattle Sports 710-AM on Wednesday. “I mean, I was with him every day, If he’s not a first-ballot Hall of Famer, there’s really no coach that should ever be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, which is completely ridiculous because people deserve it.
“He’s incredible. There’s no coach I’d rather play for. If I’m picking one coach to go out there to win a Super Bowl, give me one season, I’m taking Bill Belichick.”
Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who is also on the Hall of Fame ballot this year, expressed his support for Belichick in a statement to the Associated Press on Wednesday.
“Whatever perceptions may exist about any personal differences between Bill and me, I strongly believe Bill Belichick’s record and body of work speak for themselves,” Kraft said.
Sean McVay failed to live up to his reputation as one of the NFL’s top coaches, making flawed strategic decisions in the Rams’ NFC championship game loss.
“As head coach of the New England Patriots for more than two decades, he set the standard for on-field excellence, preparation, and sustained success in the free agency and salary cap era of the National Football League. He is the greatest coach of all time and he unequivocally deserves to be a unanimous first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer.”
Retired tight end Rob Gronkowski, who played nine seasons under Belichick, told Fox News Digital: “It’s very asinine that he was not a first-ballot Hall of Famer. It’s just absolutely absurd. Guy has eight rings, second-most wins of all time, most wins in the playoffs.
“This guy not only has a great resume, but he has also touched so many lives in the game of football in very positive way. From players to coaches, he gave so many people opportunities and fair opportunities as well to succeed in life. ... He’s obviously going to be a Pro Football Hall of Famer, but it was just absurd it wasn’t the first ballot.”
President Trump wrote on Truth Social: “It is the same mindset that gave pro football the new and unwatchable ‘Sissy’ Kickoff Rule, that made it possible for Bill Belichick to not be elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Both are ridiculous and should be overturned!”
Former Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson wrote on X: “As a HOF coach I think Bill Belichick is the greatest of all time…yes he had a great QB but we all did..he won AFTER THE salary cap and free agency plus I Know how much he LOVES THE NFL and the game..I’m pissed..”
Pro Football Hall of Famer and current Colorado head coach Deion Sanders wrote on X: “The Disrespect to Coach Belichick is straight out IGNORANT! He’s arguably the BEST NFL COACH TO EVER COACH THE GAME! How quickly we forget the impact Coach Belichick made on all of us!”
Cleveland Browns rookie Shedeur Sanders made the Pro Bowl as a replacement for Super Bowl-bound Drake Maye, despite throwing seven touchdown passes with 10 interceptions in eight games.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes reposted the news on X and wrote, “Insane… don’t even understand how this could be possible.”
Three-time NFL defensive player of the year J.J. Watt wrote on X: “I can’t be reading this right. This has to be some knock-off Hall of Fame or something, it can’t be the actual NFL Hall of Fame. There is not a single world whatsoever in which Bill Belichick should not be a First-Ballot Hall of Famer.”
University of Washington coach Jedd Fisch posted a picture of Belichick appearing to wear all eight of his Super Bowl rings and wrote: “The idea that Coach Belichick is not a first ballot Hall of Famer is ridiculous.”
Lakers star LeBron James wrote on X: “Man there’s no way I read that right! Right? Ain’t no WAY Bill Belichick ain’t 1st Ballot HOF!! That’s IMPOSSIBLE, EGREGIOUS, and quite frankly DISRESPECTFUL!”
The Pro Football Hall of Fame released a statement Wednesday that addressed “media reports related to the Hall of Fame’s class of 2026.” It did not mention Belichick by name.
“The Pro Football Hall of Fame understands and respects the passionate reaction of many fans, media members and enshrinees of the Hall itself in light of published reports regarding the voting results for the Class of 2026,” the statement read. “It’s that very passion that propels the game.
“The Hall also respects the members of the Selection Committee when they follow the selection process bylaws. It is an honor to serve as a selector.
“Each year, the Hall reviews the selection process and the composition of the 50-person Selection Committee. If it is determined that any member(s) violated the selection process bylaws, they understand action will be taken. That could include the possibility that such selector(s) would not remain a member of the committee moving forward.
“The selection of a new class is the most important duty the Hall of Fame oversees each year, and the integrity of that process cannot be in question.”
Two cheating scandals, known as Spygate and Deflategate, took place during Belichick’s tenure with the Patriots. He was fined $500,000 by the NFL for his alleged Spygate involvement during the 2007 season. ESPN reported that the two scandals came up during deliberations among Hall of Fame voters.
President Trump said he won’t attend Super Bowl LX because the Bay Area is across the country. Both teams are from blue states and Trump disapproves of halftime show performer Bad Bunny.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft is also on the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time this year.
Only three coaches have made the Hall of Fame on first ballot — Chuck Noll, Tom Landry and Shula — and they have a combined eight Super Bowl victories. Coaches George Halas and Curly Lambeau were members of the Hall’s inaugural class in 1963.
Other prominent coaches who weren’t elected the first time they were eligible, but did eventually make the cut, include Johnson, Bill Walsh and Vince Lombardi.
“He’s going to get into the Hall of Fame,” Brady said of Belichick. “In the end, I’m not worried about that. A lot of times in life for all of us things don’t happen exactly how you want them on your timeline, but we’ll all be there to celebrate him when it does happen.
“He’s gonna have a huge turnout from so many players, coaches that appreciated everything that he did and the commitment that he made to winning and the impact that he had on all our lives. And that’ll be a great celebration when it happens.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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