Bill Belichick is not a Hall of Fame head coach. At least not yet.
Last week, the news that Belichick did not get enough votes to make the Hall in his first year of eligibility sent shockwaves throughout the NFL.
Belichick’s star might have dimmed a bit now that he’s at North Carolina and arguably being controlled by his 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, but don’t let that get in the way of the six Super Bowls he won as the head coach of the New England Patriots from 2000 to 2023.
If Belichick can’t make the Hall of Fame as a head coach, which coach could?
That’s really the biggest question Hall of Fame voters would have to answer if they were grilled on the matter.
Heck, even NFL commissioner Roger Goodell spoke on the matter, and he believes Belichick, alongside Patriots owner Robert Kraft, should be in the Hall.
“We are not involved in it,” Goodell said of the NFL, speaking at a Super Bowl news conference, per ESPN. “Bill Belichick’s record goes without saying, same with the Patriots and Robert Kraft, who is also a candidate. They are spectacular. They have contributed so much to this game, and I believe they will be Hall of Famers.”
Spygate played a role in Bill Belichick not being a first-ballot Hall of Famer
Belichick needed 40 votes from the 50-person selection committee to be inducted, but he fell short.
One of the voters who did not go Belichick’s way, Indianapolis Colts reporter Mike Chappell, recently explained that Belichick’s involvement in Spygate played a role in his decision.
“There’s no erasing the stain of Spygate from his bio,” Chappell wrote. “This wasn’t alleged behavior. The NFL fined Belichick $500,000 – the maximum allowed – along with docking the Patriots $250,000 and a first-round draft pick for illegally videotaping New York Jets signals in 2007.”
Notably, Chappell did vote for Kraft.
“As one of 50 selectors, I voted FOR Robert Kraft, the long-time and accomplished New England Patriots owner. I did not vote AGAINST Bill Belichick, the long-time and accomplished head coach of that dynasty. I realize that’s a difference without a distinction, but I’m comfortable with my decision,” he wrote.
In 24 seasons with the Patriots, Belichick amassed a 266-121regular season record and a 30-12 playoff record. As mentioned, he won six Super Bowls. He led the Patriots to nine.