The Pro Football Hall of Fame has responded to the outrage surrounding Bill Belichick’s reported snub in the eight-time Super Bowl winner’s first year on the ballot.
Referencing “published reports” in lieu of directly naming Belichick, the Hall stated that action would be taken against any voters who violated “selection process bylaws” in the vote.
“The Pro Football Hall of Fame understands and respects the passionate reaction of many fans, media members and enshrinees of the Hall itself in light of published reports regarding the voting results for the Class of 2026,” the Hall said in a statement, via Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.
“... Each year, the Hall reviews the selection process and the composition of the 50-person Selection Committee. If it is determined that any member(s) violated the selection process bylaws, they understand action will be taken. That could include the possibility that such selector(s) would not remain a member of the committee moving forward.”
A spokesperson for the Hall had previously told ESPN in a statement that it “does not comment” on the voting of the selection committee.
The Hall of Fame’s selection committee consists of one media representative from each NFL city—two from New York and two from Los Angeles—and 17 at-large selectors who are either active members of the media or persons directly involved with pro football. The committee also includes one representative of the Pro Football Writers’ of America.
According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s website, the selectors are provided with “detailed biographies” of each of the finalists for the Hall, a list that in 2026 notably included Belichick, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, former Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson, 49ers running back Roger Craig and Steelers defensive end L.C. Greenwood.
Why was Bill Belichick snubbed?
The Hall’s statement comes on the heels of reporting from ESPN, which stated that Belichick did not receive the necessary 40 out of 50 votes to garner induction in the summer. Belichick was reportedly “puzzled” and “disappointed” by the selection committee’s decision, which may have been impacted by two cheating scandals—Spygate and Deflategate—that New England was embroiled in during hisq tenure as Patriots coach. Multiple sources told ESPN that both Spygate and Deflategate were a part of the deliberations among voters—and another source, a Hall voter, said the scandals associated with Belichick “really bothered some of the guys.”
As Garafolo notes, the Pro Football Hall of Fame could take action against a voter if it's believed the voter opted not to vote for Belichick for non-football reasons, such as not being cooperative with the media. Considering scandals alongside Belichick's candidacy would not be considered a violation, as those are football-related matters.
ESPN also reported that Bill Polian, a Hall of Fame voter and former Bills and Colts general manager, allegedly told some voters he thought that Belichick should “wait a year” before his induction as a sort of penance for these scandals. Polian denied to Sports Illustrated that he did not vote for Belichick. He then told ESPN he “could not remember with 100% certainty that he voted for Belichick but was 95% sure,” but later doubled down that he voted for the coach.
Belichick’s snub has been met with indignation by current and former players, coaches, media members and fans. Currently the coach of North Carolina football, Belichick amassed eight Super Bowl wins—six as a head coach—and 333 career wins including the playoffs, the second-most all-time in NFL history behind only Don Shula.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Pro Football Hall of Fame Addresses Potential Bylaw Violations Amid Bill Belichick Snub.
