Wow.
According to an ESPN article, Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham reported that eight-time Super Bowl Champion Bill Belichick was not selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
Allegedly, Belichick was informed by a Hall representative last Friday that he was not chosen. The 50 Hall of Fame voters met previously to present cases, debate, and cast a secret ballot, and many (including some of the Hall of Fame selectors) thought that Belichick was a lock.
His case was the most complete of any coach’s case this side of Vince Lombardi. Belichick led the Pats to six Super Bowls and 31 playoff wins (records for a head coach, 301 regular season wins, and was lauded as a mastermind whose players bought into the “Patriot Way”. He also owns two other Super Bowl rings as the New York Giants’ Defensive Coordinator. Naturally, the news sent shockwaves throughout social media.
J.J. Watt:
“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 not be a First Ballot Hall of Famer.”
Patrick Mahomes:
“Insane… don’t even understand how this could be possible.”
Jimmy Johnson:
“What a shame.. jealous ignorant voters (a few that hide behind secret ballot) did not vote one of the greatest coaches of all time into HOF.”
Tom Brady:
“I don’t understand it. 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.”
Julian Edelman:
“Smh.”
The news also shocked many of the Hall of Fame selectors. In an unprecedented outburst, many of them openly stated (or strongly implied)that they voted for Belichick. *This included Gary Myers, Tony Grossi, Mary Kay Cabot, Charean Williams, Mike Sando, Rich Cimini, Armando Salguero, Kent Somers, Dan Pompei, Paul Kuharsky, John McClain, Lindsay Jones, Vic Carucci, Jason Cole, Eric Williams, Jarrett Bell, Dave Birkett, Pete Douherty, Paul Domowitch, Gerry Dulac, Matt Maiocco, Calvin Watkins, Sal Paolntonio and Ira Kaufman.
To his credit, Vahe Gregorian openly said he did not and gave an articulate rationale for why.
The process seems broken.
So how is this possible?
1. Mathematics.
Two years ago, the Hall of Fame changed the process, which pooled the Seniors, Coaches, and Contributor Finalists. The 50 selectors were tasked with voting for three of the five, who last year included Maxie Baughn, Ralph Hay, Mike Holmgren, Sterling Sharpe, and Jim Tyrer, and entrance to Canton was gained by obtaining 40 of the 50 votes, or, should no candidate make that threshold, the candidate with the highest amount would be selected.
Very few people (including many of the selectors) gave the new rules much thought, but Chicago’s Sports Historian, Jack Silverstein, called it out, showing how mathematics would lead to the smallest class in years. Quite simply, the math was going to math, and only Sharpe entered through this group; there was no reason to think it would be different this year.
Silverstein put together a group of historians (which included the owner of this site, along with actual past and present HOF selectors) to mimic the process, and sure enough, only one candidate met the 80%. Ironically, that candidate was Belichick.
Going back to the actual selectors, it is possible that, with knowledge of last year’s results, some may have thought Belichick was entering for sure and cast their selections for others (namely, the Seniors) so that one of them might enter. We can’t discount that some may feel Belichick is destined to be back on the ballot next year, and Anderson, Craig, and Greenwood might not. The numbers were going to get more than one of these five legends, especially now that the three groups are competing with each other.
2. Spygate, etc.
“Every battle is won before it is fought.” That quote is from Sun Tzu’s “Art of War”, which was displayed prominently in Belichick’s locker room. Perhaps that puts his role in Spygate into perspective? Belichick was fined $500,000 for his role in the scandal, which is believed to have lasted seven years. Throw in “Deflategate” and you have what some have called a tainted legacy. “Belicheat” did trend yesterday! Based on what selector, Armando Salguero said on the Dan Patrick Show today that one voter outright stated, “I’m not voting for him because of Spygate.” How many others thought the same?
3. Bill Polian.
This could be the most logical one. According to another ESPN article, Polian allegedly told voters that Belichick should have to “wait a year” because of Spygate, though hours later, he denied any involvement, stating “That’s totally and categorically untrue” and that he voted for Bill. Strangely, a day later, he was only 95% sure that he voted for Belichick.
Perhaps Polian should just stop talking.
Regardless of whether he voted for Belichick, two things are sure:
Polian’s clubs have taken the worst of Belichick’s teams, and Polian has a lot of influence.
4. Role in the dynasty and declining legacy
This is just us spitballing, but is it possible that some voters see the Patriots' return to prominence without Belichick, Brady winning a Super Bowl without him, Belichick’s failure at UNC, and the mockery of his personal life, and that they respect him a little less? If so, we have seen sillier reasons not vote for a candidate.
Regardless of why or if some of the selectors omitted Belichick, we will go on record and say this:
You got this one wrong, and based on what the Hall just put out, they know it, too.
*Ollie Connolly @OllieConnolly put together a list on X of those who voted yes and no.
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