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Bill Belichick, the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach and two-time champion assistant, reportedly failed to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
The final list of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees will be released before Super Bowl LX. Belichick was among the candidates in a separate group in the modern era players category along with Ken Anderson, Roger Craig, LC Greenwood and Robert Kraft.
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New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick before the game against the Jets at MetLife Stadium on October 21, 2019. (Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY Sports)
ESPN first reported that Belichick would not be inducted into the Hall of Fame this time. The outlet reported, citing sources, that Belichick was “baffled” and “disappointed” with the decision and was wondering what else he needed to do as a head coach to come in immediately.
“Politics kept him out. He doesn’t think this is a reflection of his accomplishments,” another source told ESPN.
Former NFL players and fans were as baffled as the anonymous sources who spoke to the outlet.
“I can’t be reading this right,” former Houston Texans star JJ Watt wrote on
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New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick during the first half against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on October 21, 2018. (Mike DiNovo/USA TODAY Sports)
Pat McAfee added: “Bill Belichick is not officially a first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer. Bill Belichick…Bill Belichick could be in (the GOAT) talks for Coach AND General Manager and is not a first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer.”
More also intervened.
Belichick, who is currently the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, was 302-165 in his career as a head coach between the Patriots and the Cleveland Browns. He won six titles with Tom Brady as the Patriots’ head coach before mutually parting ways with the franchise after the 2023 season.
He served as a defensive assistant under Bill Parcells with the New York Giants from 1979 to 1991. The team won two Super Bowls during that time.
He had a controversial end with both the Browns and the New York Jets. The Browns moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens under the cover of darkness, essentially leaving the entire franchise in the city. As he was set to take over as the Jets’ head coach, he withdrew at the last minute and decided to accept the New England job.
Bill Belichick watches the Miami Hurricanes play the Indiana Hoosiers during the first half of the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium on January 19, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Image Images)
Belichick’s Patriots career wasn’t exactly brilliant either. He was caught up in the Spygate and Deflategate scandals during his time. ESPN reported that the cheating scandals influenced some voters’ decision about Belichick’s candidacy.
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Belichick’s coaching tree seemed as strong as ever. The Patriots will return to the Super Bowl with Mike Vrabel at the helm. Vrabel won three titles with Belichick. Josh McDaniels, another member of Belichick’s staff, also serves as the team’s offensive coordinator.
