The public uproar over Bill Belichick's Pro Football Hall of Fame (HOF) candidacy — or apparent lack thereof — has been loud and frankly, well-deserved. However, perhaps no one has been more vocal about their shock and discontent over the legendary New England Patriots head coach's snub than J.J. Watt.
Watt, who, like Belichick, hopes to one day don a gold jacket, is utterly perplexed and genuinely frustrated. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year followed up his blunt social media reaction to the news with a strongly worded rant on live television.
During a recent appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, Watt demanded that people be held accountable for robbing Belichick of first-ballot status.
NFL legend J.J. Watt calls out anyone who voted against Bill Belichick for Hall of Fame
There was no sugarcoating. Watt made his thoughts crystal clear, and it sounded like he was about to blow a fuse. The retired superstar pass rusher and current CBS Sports analyst wants to see everyone who voted against Belichick removed from the selection committee.
"If you have Bill Belichick not making the Pro Football Hall of Fame, you should not have a vote for the Pro Football Hall of Fame," Watt said. "The guy has eight Super Bowl titles; there's only been 59 of 'em. ... Like, what are you doing? What qualifications do you want? How do you tell the story of the NFL without Bill Belichick?"
Good luck trying to put it more explicitly than that. Watt didn't mince words and clearly outlined how blasphemous it is that Belichick won't be inducted into the HOF this coming summer. It may legitimately be among the greatest tragedies in recent sports memory.
Belichick was widely considered a mortal lock to get into Canton when first eligible. After all, he trails only late coach Don Shula in career wins (including playoffs) and spearheaded the most successful dynasty in league history. As Watt expressed, what more must we see?
Anyone aspiring to be enshrined can't help but feel like the odds are stacked against them if Belichick didn't meet the criteria. Even Watt, one of the best defensive players of all time, can't help but wonder what happens when he's in contention for the Class of 2028.