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NFL Rocked by Wild Hall of Fame Decision
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- NFL Rocked by Wild Hall of Fame Decision
David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Six-time Super Bowl champion head coach Bill Belichick will not enter the Hall of Fame on his first ballot. Hall of Fame voters made sure of it this week, denying access and sending the national NFL audience into utter befuddlement.
Belichick's reported first-ballot snub sparked leaguewide outrage and prompted a fresh look at Hall voters.
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It's like Daniel Radcliffe not allowed into the Harry Potter Hall of Fame.
Belichick Snub Ignites Hall Of Fame Blowback
No luck for Belichick with HOF voters.
Television analyst Bill Belichick watches from the stands as the Miami Hurricanes face the Indiana Hoosiers, with Jan. 19, 2026 falling during the first half of the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. Belichick observed closely as the title matchup unfolded on the sport's biggest stage. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
Belichick Not Granted HOF Access in 2026
Wipe that smile off your face; it's somehow true.
ESPN's Don Van Atta Jr. and Seth Wickersham wrote Tuesday , "Bill Belichick, the eight-time Super Bowl-winning coach, is not a first-ballot Hall of Famer. In voting earlier this month, Belichick fell short of the 40 out of 50 votes needed for induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame during his first year of eligibility, four sources with firsthand knowledge of the outcome told ESPN."
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"Belichick received a call from a Hall representative last Friday afternoon with the news that he won't be inducted into the Hall in Canton, Ohio, this summer. Several sources who spoke with the coach over the weekend described Belichick as 'puzzled' and 'disappointed' by his inability to secure support from at least 80% of Hall committee members."
Aside from arguably Tom Brady , there should be no surer lock of the Hall of Fame than Belichick.
Utter Confusion
When the notifications hit that Belichick had been denied entry, most simply didn't believe it. For example, some wondered if the tweets applied to an offshoot or separate Hall of Fame, because surely Belichick could not be denied entry into the regular one.
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J.J. Watt tweeted , "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."
NFL insider Jordan Schultz opined , "Regardless of your opinion of Bill Belichick, him not being a first ballot Hall of Famer is a disgrace — and a direct indictment on the Hall of Fame itself. Just an absolute joke."
Belichick's case for the Hall of Fame is so obvious that most onlookers didn't consider it a snub; they wondered if someone had made a genuine mistake.
The Accolades
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Hall of Fame voters said "no thanks" to a man with this resume:
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6-Time Super Bowl Champion as Head Coach
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8-Time Super Bowl Champion Overall
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3-Time Coach of the Year
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Most Super Bowl Wins of All-Time
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Most Super Bowl Appearances
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Most Playoff Wins as Head Coach
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Most Playoff Appearances as Head Coach
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Most Divisional Titles as Head Coach
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A 64.7% Win Percentage
Social media users, including high-profile athletes, coaches, and media members, demanded to know the identity of voters who said no to Belichick, as it just doesn't make sense to exclude him.
The Athletic 's Steve Buckley opined on the snub , "There's always been squawking from the peanut gallery that Belichick failed as a head coach before he had Brady as his quarterback, then won six Super Bowls with Brady, and then went back to failing as a head coach after Brady moved on to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win another Super Bowl. All absolutely true."
"But to gobble up that little Sports Fun Fact is to assume Brady would have won six Super Bowls with the Patriots regardless of who the head coach was. Sorry, peanut gallery, but that's not provable."
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A novel concept: Put Brady and Belichick in the Hall of Fame on their first try.
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick looks on from the sideline late in a divisional matchup against the Miami Dolphins, with Sep. 11, 2022 occurring during fourth-quarter action at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. Belichick monitored defensive alignments and game flow as New England attempted to close out a tight AFC East contest. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports.
Buckley continued, "The only fact that matters insofar as Brady is involved is that together, as a coach-quarterback tandem, Belichick and Brady won six Super Bowls. That should be enough to get both men into the Hall of Fame on the first try. But it didn't happen for Belichick, this because a statement by the voters was printed out on a better stock of paper than Belichick's resume."
"Blame the process. Blame the voters. Blame Belichick and his sullen personality, if you want. It's an embarrassment for the Hall of Fame."
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Guys Like Adrian Peterson No Longer Safe?
Meanwhile, one must wonder if any obvious eligible Hall of Fame candidates are safe.
For example, former Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson will be up for consideration next year at this time, and most assumed that Peterson would be a lock on his first ballot. The Belichick tomfoolery challenges that assumption. Pittsburgh Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger is also eligible, but if Belichick can't get in, why would Roethlisberger?
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick speaks with a line judge during early game action against the Miami Dolphins, with Sep. 12, 2021 arriving in the first half at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. The exchange came as officiating crews and coaches coordinated amid fast-paced play in a physical AFC East matchup. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports.
And the Hall of Fame turmoil arrived in the same week that Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders got voted to the Pro Bowl. Sanders checked in as one of the NFL's very worst quarterbacks in 2025.
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On Belichick, it almost feels like there should be a recount — just to make sure voters understood the process.
