Why was Bill Belichick left out of the NFL Hall of Fame?

“Man there’s no way I read that right! Right? That’s IMPOSSIBLE, EGREGIOUS, and quite frankly DISRESPECTFUL!” “Insane… don’t even understand how this could be possible.”

The first line was written by LeBron James on X; the second came from Patrick Mahomes. Two of the most powerful figures in American – and global – sports were among the first to react to what is already being described as a full-blown scandal. Bill Belichick, the legendary coach who led the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl titles and built the greatest dynasty in NFL history, will not be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year – despite being eligible for the first time.

When can Belichick next be considered for Hall of Fame?

At 73, Belichick, now head coach at the University of North Carolina, failed to receive the required 40 votes from the 50-member selection panel. That means he will have to wait at least one more year before being considered again for football’s most exclusive honor.

Belichick’s résumé is as glittering as they come. Before his time in New England, he won two Super Bowls as defensive coordinator with the New York Giants. In 2000, he took over as head coach of the Patriots, a position he held until 2023. Over more than two decades, the Nashville native compiled an unmatched record: six Super Bowl titles (most ever by a head coach), nine conference championships and Super Bowl appearances (most), 31 playoff wins (most), 302 regular-season victories (third) and 333 total wins (second). He led the Patriots to the playoffs in 19 seasons – another record – and turned Tom Brady into the greatest quarterback of all time. Few doubted he deserved a place in Canton, Ohio, home of the Hall of Fame. The voters, however, thought otherwise.

Two reasons why Belichick may have been left out

According to reports that quickly spread through the US media, some voters were swayed by the two major scandals that marked his Patriots tenure. The first was Spygate in 2007, when New England were caught filming opposing coaches’ signals during games – a banned practice for which Belichick was held primarily responsible. He was fined $500,000, and the Patriots lost a first-round draft pick. Although the matter ended there, suspicions lingered that the team had been doing it for years. Then came Deflategate in 2015, when Brady was accused of asking for footballs to be deliberately underinflated for a playoff game. The quarterback was suspended for four games, while the Patriots were fined $1m and docked two draft picks.

“Bill Belichick won 100 games and took the Patriots to three Super Bowls, winning two of them, after the Deflategate punishment,” argued journalist Andrew Siciliano. “His post-scandal résumé alone deserves a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”

ESPN reported that a key role in keeping Belichick out was played by Bill Polian, former general manager of the Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts – two early-2000s Patriots rivals repeatedly undone by Belichick’s teams. “Bill Polian was a vocal figure in the Hall of Fame deliberations involving Bill Belichick, and Spygate and Deflategate came up among voters,” the network said. Polian allegedly told some voters that Belichick should “wait a year” as penance for Spygate.

“That is absolutely and categorically false. I voted for him,” Polian told reporter Matt Verderame hours later. But his account to Don Van Natta Jr was more ambiguous. Polian said he could not be 100% sure he voted for Belichick, claiming he was 95% certain he did. He denied telling others that Belichick should serve a year of penance, though he acknowledged hearing the idea floated, insisting he neither supported nor opposed it. “With all due respect, if you can’t remember who you voted for, you’re too senile to vote,” replied Emmanuel Acho, a former player turned NFL analyst.

Whatever the truth, this is not the first time key Patriots figures have been kept out of the Hall of Fame. Rodney Harrison, Vince Wilfork, Gino Cappelletti and Adam Vinatieri are all still waiting. Even Robert Kraft, the franchise owner since 1994, has yet to be inducted, though he is a candidate this year. In fact, more players from Polian’s Colts era are in the Hall of Fame – Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Edgerrin James and Dwight Freeney – than from the Patriots dynasty that dominated the league, which counts Richard Seymour, Ty Law and Randy Moss.

For comparison, the Dallas Cowboys of the 1990s have eight Hall of Famers, as do the San Francisco 49ers of the 1980s, while the Pittsburgh Steelers of the 1970s boast 12. That imbalance is expected to change once Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski become eligible – players can enter the Hall five years after retirement, meaning both could be considered next year. Coaches, by contrast, become eligible just one year after leaving the league. Belichick, who announced his split from the Patriots on January 11, 2024, was therefore eligible for the first time this year – and was denied.

“The most outrageous robbery in history!”

“The more than 10 people who didn’t vote for Bill Belichick should be exposed. What the hell? This is insane,” an NFL executive texted Adam Schefter. “As a member of the Hall of Fame selection committee, I cannot believe Bill Belichick was not inducted on the first ballot. He had my vote and will have it again next year, assuming we’re both still in the process,” said Dan Pompei, one of the 50 voters.

The outrage was immediate and widespread. “I must not be reading this correctly. This has to be a parody Hall of Fame, not the real NFL Hall of Fame,” wrote J.J. Watt. “There is no world in which Bill Belichick should not be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.”

“Shaking my head,” posted Julian Edelman. “The biggest stupidity we’ll see all of 2026!!!” reacted Devin McCourty, a three-time champion under Belichick. “This is WRONG… second-most wins of ALL TIME… more Super Bowls than anyone, an unimaginable number of division titles… a lot of jealous little voters,” said Jimmy Johnson. “Whether you like Bill Belichick or not, he EARNED a first-ballot Hall of Fame induction. Eight-time Super Bowl champion. The greatest NFL coach of all time. This is RIDICULOUSLY STUPID,” added Robert Griffin III. Aqib Talib was blunt: “Bill Belichick not being a first-ballot Hall of Famer is the most outrageous robbery in NFL history.”

“Voters should stop being anonymous. We need an explanation for why Bill Belichick, one of the greatest coaches ever, with eight Super Bowls, isn’t a first-ballot Hall of Famer,” wrote Gerald McCoy. “No explanation will be good enough, but I need to hear it.” Brian Hoyer echoed the sentiment, arguing that personal vendettas should never prevent the greatest coach of all time from being honored on his first try.

Belichick himself has not spoken publicly. ESPN reported, however, that “several sources who spoke to the coach over the weekend described him as ‘confused’ and ‘disappointed’ at failing to secure the support of at least 80% of the Hall of Fame committee.” “Aren’t six Super Bowls enough?” was the question Belichick reportedly asked upon hearing the news. “No one cares more about the history of football than Bill. Today is a sad day for the league he loves,” a source close to him told Jordan Schultz.

Belichick never tried to please everyone during his career, and he divided opinion. But when it comes to recognizing his achievements, the consensus is overwhelming. The injustice will almost certainly be corrected, and the legendary head coach will one day take his place in Canton. That it did not happen on his first opportunity, however, has sparked a firestorm in the United States – and a chorus of disbelief at a slight to a man many consider the greatest coach the sport has ever seen.

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