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New England Patriots legend Rodney Harrison appeared to take a swipe at his colleague Tony Dungy after Bill Belichick was left out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot.
The decision by Hall of Fame voters to keep Belichick out of Canton on the first ballot sparked a backlash throughout the NFL world. Social media began to unite to try to find the voters who decided not to give the nod to Belichick.
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Rodney Harrison (left) and Tony Dungy talk on the field before the game between the Houston Texans and the Detroit Lions at NRG Stadium on Nov. 10, 2024. (Troy Taormina/Imagn Images)
Dungy, former head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, was accused of being one of the voters who did not support Belichick. He hasn’t revealed his vote and Harrison appeared to be speaking directly to Dungy when he defended his former head coach.
“Any list that doesn’t include Bill Belichick at the top is absolutely wrong,” Harrison said during NBC’s Super Bowl LX coverage. “And a lot of those players we mentioned are great players. I played with Drew Brees, I played with Adam Vinatieri, but there’s no one more deserving than Coach Belichick.
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NBC Sports announcer Rodney Harrison during the game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium. (Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)
“I’ve seen his greatness. I’ve seen him design defenses to stop (Dungy’s) offense. Just look at the players he’s impacted. It’s been incredible. And when I look at the Hall of Fame… Tom Brady, Tom Brady wouldn’t be Tom Brady without Bill Belichick. And that’s the disappointing part, coach. And you guys were wrong.”
Dungy, again, did not say whether he voted for Belichick, citing an “oath” he took to avoid discussing any behind-the-scenes action. Outside of the category Belichick was in (with Robert Kraft, Roger Craig, Ken Anderson and LC Greenwood) he didn’t get enough votes. Craig was elected to the Hall of Fame among those selections.
Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts reacts after allowing a first quarter touchdown to the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI on February 4, 2007 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
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The Super Bowl champion coach took issue with the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s voting procedures.
“People think we voted against Bill Belichick,” Dungy said. “We didn’t. In fact, the exact same vote. In fact, if the exact same vote had taken place, the same totals as two years ago, Bill Belichick would have been there and so would another worthy Hall of Famer and that’s why I’m upset. That’s not right.”
