The Pro Football Hall of Fame has long been considered the highest honor for any coach, executive, or player to achieve after their careers have concluded. Top-of-the-line people have been enshrined for life for their contributions to the game of football.
That kind of respect was expected to continue for the 2026 Class, particularly since Bill Belichick was eligible for the first time.
Instead, the eight-time Super Bowl champion will not be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, for shameless reasons, specifically due, according to an ESPN report, to the influence of longtime former Colts executive Bill Polian, who believes Belichick should still be punished for Spygate despite the organization having already dealt with the consequences from the league nearly 20 years ago.
We know it's more about deflategate than anything, and that might be even worse, but now the integrity of the Hall of Fame is in question if someone as accomplished as Belichick can't even make it in his first year.
It's another unfortunate chapter in his post-NFL book, much of which hasn't gone without controversy; yet, he fittingly responded when hearing the news, which might only make the entire situation worse.
Bill Belichick is not at all happy about not being a first-ballot NFL Hall of Famer
According to the latest updates from insiders and reporters, Belichick didn't take the news well and asked how winning six Super Bowls wasn't enough.
“Six Super Bowls isn't enough?" Belichick asked an associate, referring to the championships he won as head coach of the New England Patriots. He won two more as defensive coordinator of the New York Giants.
— Don Van Natta Jr. (@DVNJr) January 27, 2026
To another associate, he said, "What does a guy have to do?"
It now calls into question every other head coach who has been a first-ballot Hall of Famer or will be in the future, because almost none have been or will be as successful as Belichick.
The league has already punished him and the Patriots' organization, so dealing with further repercussions from those voting for the Hall of Fame makes little to no sense.
Although he left the league on less-than-great terms, there's no reason for voters — especially a former AFC rival executive like Polian — to seek some sort of revenge over him in this way, especially since it only makes the league look like an absolute joke.