FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, has expressed surprise and disagreement with recent reports indicating that Bill Belichick, the team's former head coach, was not voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his initial year of eligibility.
Communicating through a statement provided to The Associated Press, Kraft emphasized his conviction that Belichick’s career achievements clearly merit first-ballot Hall of Fame status. He said, “Despite any perceived personal differences between Bill and myself, I firmly believe that his record and contributions stand on their own merit.”
According to an ESPN report citing four anonymous sources, Belichick failed to meet the minimum threshold of 40 votes out of 50 from a panel consisting of media members and existing Hall of Famers. The report also detailed that Belichick was informed of this decision via a telephone call from the Hall of Fame last Friday. The Hall of Fame organization has opted not to comment publicly ahead of the scheduled announcement of the 2026 inductees at the NFL Honors event slated for February 5 in San Francisco.
Highlighting Belichick’s legacy during his more than twenty years as Patriots head coach, Kraft pointed to his exemplary standards of on-field excellence, preparation, and consistent achievement amid the evolving challenges of free agency and salary cap constraints in the NFL. Kraft proclaimed, “He is unquestionably the greatest coach of all time and undoubtedly deserves unanimous first-ballot induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”
The reported snub triggered immediate responses from various quarters across the NFL landscape, with many voices criticizing the Hall of Fame selection committee’s decision. Notably, Hall voters as well as Tom Brady, who played quarterback for all six of Belichick’s Patriots' Super Bowl-winning teams, voiced their disapproval.
Brady, speaking to Seattle Sports 710-AM, denounced the decision as “ridiculous,” remarking, “If Bill doesn’t qualify as a first-ballot Hall of Famer, then no coach should, which makes the whole process moot because he unquestionably earns that honor.”
Eligibility rules for the Pro Football Hall of Fame require players to be retired for at least five years before consideration, while coaches must wait only one full season after retiring.
Belichick assumed the head coach role in New England in 2000 and during his 18-year peak period from 2001 to 2018, led the Patriots to six Super Bowl championships, with three additional appearances in the title game. His total of 333 victories combining regular season and playoff games for both New England and Cleveland ranks second only to Don Shula’s 347. Belichick also received the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year award three times.
However, following the departure of Brady to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Belichick’s final four campaigns with the Patriots yielded a 29-38 record. Subsequently, Belichick and the organization agreed to split ways after the conclusion of the 2023 season.