The one Hall of Fame voter who said “no” to Bill Belichick speaks out

The NFL world erupted when news broke that Bill Belichick, the winningest head coach in Super Bowl history, would not be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. While the announcement hinted that at least 11 voters withheld support, only one has publicly confirmed a “no” vote - Vahe Gregorian of the Kansas City Star.

The rare “no” vote on Bill Belichick: Here’s what the voter said

Gregorian’s reasoning was not a judgment of Belichick’s greatness. In a recent column, he explained that all five candidates on the ballot - Belichick, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and three senior players (Ken Anderson, Roger Craig, and L.C. Greenwood) - were worthy of induction. His vote reflected a concern that the senior players, some of whom might never have another chance, needed priority.

“All five of the candidates were deserving,” Gregorian wrote. “But I felt more compelled by what I perceive to be last chances and looming lost causes within the system as we have it - a system I hope the Hall will see fit to change now.”

Gregorian was careful to note that Belichick’s eventual induction is inevitable, and that his decision had nothing to do with the Spygate controversies that occasionally surface in discussions of Belichick’s career.

“Belichick is inevitable soon … as he should be. At the risk of contradicting my own vote, really, he shouldn’t even have to wait,” Gregorian said.

A rare peek inside the Hall of Fame voting process

The Hall of Fame’s selection committee consists of 50 media members, including reporters and former players from all 32 NFL teams. To earn first-ballot induction, a candidate needs at least 80% approval (40 votes). With Gregorian confirming his “no,” at least 10 other voters likely withheld support, though the identities of most remain undisclosed.

Some voters, like Sal Paolantonio, Mike Sando, and Bill Polian, have confirmed yes votes, while others have chosen to remain silent. The process remains highly secretive, which makes Gregorian’s public explanation notable.

“This is an unusual level of transparency,” said sports media analyst Jon Hoefling. “It’s rare for voters to justify a no vote, and even rarer when it’s for someone as iconic as Belichick.”

Belichick’s first-ballot snub highlights structural quirks in the Hall of Fame voting process. The ballot often pits current legends against senior players who might never have another shot. Gregorian’s candid reasoning just highlights the debate about whether first-ballot status should be a measure of pure merit, or a balancing act among multiple deserving candidates.

Belichick’s legacy remains untouchable, and his enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame is essentially a formality. But the “no” vote reminds the NFL community that even legends can be caught in a system that values process as much as pedigree.

What we know about who voted what in the Belichick HOF snub

Confirmed ‘yes’ votes (23)

• Kent Somers, retired Arizona Republic (Arizona Cardinals representative)
• Vic Carucci, WGRZ-TV (Buffalo Bills)
• Dan Pompei, The Athletic (Chicago Bears)
• Tony Grossi, ESPNCleveland.com/WKNR Radio (Cleveland Browns)
• Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press (Detroit Lions)
• Pete Dougherty, Green Bay Press-Gazette (Green Bay Packers)
• John McClain, SportsRadio610 (Houston Texans)
• Eric Williams, Sports Illustrated (Los Angeles Chargers)
• Armando Salguero, Outkick.com (Miami Dolphins)
• Gary Myers, Author (New York Giants)
• Rich Cimini, ESPN.com (New York Jets)
• Paul Domowitch, the33rdteam.com/PhillyMag.com (Philadelphia Eagles)
• Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh Steelers)
• Mike Sando, The Athletic (Seattle Seahawks)
• Paul Kuharsky, PaulKuharsky.com (Tennessee Titans)
• Jarrett Bell, USA Today (Washington Commanders)
• Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News (Pro Football Writers of America)
• Mary Kay Cabot, Cleveland Plain Dealer (at-large)
• Lindsay Jones, The Ringer (at-large)
• Jason Cole, FanSided.com (at-large)
• Sal Paolantonio, ESPN (at-large)
• Bill Polian, SiriusXM NFL Radio (at-large)
• Charean Williams, Pro Football Talk (at-large)

Implied ‘yes’ votes (3)

• Ira Kaufman, JoeBucsFan.com (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
• Mike Chappell of Fox 59/CBS 4 (Indianapolis Colts)
• Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area (San Francisco 49ers)

Confirmed ‘no’ votes (1)

• Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star (Kansas City Chiefs)

Declined to say (6)

• Scott Garceau, 105.7 The Fan/WMAR-TV (Baltimore Ravens)
• Darin Gantt, Panthers.com (Carolina Panthers)
• Sam Kouvaris, SamSportsLine.com (Jacksonville Jaguars)
• Ron Borges, Talk of Fame Network (New England Patriots)
• Jeff Duncan, Times-Picayune (New Orleans Saints)
• Frank Cooney, The Sports Xchange (at-large)

Unknown (17)

• Darryl Ledbetter, Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Atlanta Falcons)
• Geoff Hobson, Bengals.com (Cincinnati Bengals)
• Rick Gosselin, Talk of Fame Network (Dallas Cowboys)
• Jeff Legwold, ESPN/ESPN.com (Denver Broncos)
• Paul Gutierrez, Raiders.com (Las Vegas Raiders)
• Howard Balzer, SiriusXM NFL Radio (Los Angeles Rams)
• Mark Craig, The Minneapolis Star-Tribune (Minnesota Vikings)
• Joel Bussert, retired, NFL Office (at-large)
• Tony Dungy, NBC Sports “Football Night in America”(at-large)
• Dan Fouts, Broadcaster (at-large)
• Clark Judge, Talk of Fame Network (at-large)
• Ross Ketover, NFL Films (at-large) *
• James Lofton, CBS Sports (at-large)
• Alex Marvez, SiriusXM NFL Radio (at-large)
• Lisa Salters, ESPN “Monday Night Football” (at-large)
• Jim Trotter, retired, The Athletic (at-large)
• Barry Wilner, retired, Associated Press (at-large)

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