Rob Gronkowski Sounds Off: If Belichick Isn’t First-Ballot, No Coach Should Be - Including Andy Reid
Rob Gronkowski didn’t hold back when asked about the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s latest snub - and he made it clear that the omission of Bill Belichick from this year’s class isn’t just a miss, it’s a message.
Speaking Thursday at Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, Gronkowski - who won three Super Bowls under Belichick in New England - called the decision “ridiculous” and went a step further: if Belichick isn’t a first-ballot Hall of Famer, then no coach should be. Not even Andy Reid.
“There’s a guy out there, Andy Reid, but he can’t go first-ballot now,” Gronkowski said during an interview. “Coach Belichick needs to be in the Hall of Fame, and it needed to be a first ballot.
Now, there’s no such thing as a first-ballot Hall of Fame coach. No other coach ever in history should go first ballot.”
It’s a bold statement, but it’s coming from someone who knows both the grind of the NFL and the greatness of Belichick firsthand. Gronk’s not just tossing out hot takes - he’s defending a coach who helped shape one of the most dominant dynasties in league history.
Belichick’s résumé is staggering. Six Super Bowl titles in nine appearances.
A total of 333 career victories, including the playoffs - second-most in NFL history. He’s not just part of football history; he is football history.
And yet, in his first year of eligibility, he didn’t make the cut for the Hall of Fame class of 2026.
That decision has sparked plenty of debate, and Gronkowski added his voice to the growing wave of frustration from around the league.
Meanwhile, Andy Reid - the man Gronk name-checked - continues to build a Hall of Fame-worthy legacy of his own. Reid currently sits fourth on the all-time wins list with 307 victories and counting.
He’s led the Kansas City Chiefs to five Super Bowl appearances, winning three. And let’s not forget, he also took the Philadelphia Eagles to the big game before his Kansas City chapter even began.
So yes, Reid’s credentials are elite. But in Gronk’s eyes, the bar has been reset.
If Belichick - the architect of the Patriots’ two-decade run of dominance - isn’t a first-ballot lock, then no coach should be. That’s the new standard, according to Gronkowski. And while that might sound extreme, it’s rooted in a deep respect for what Belichick accomplished - and a belief that the Hall of Fame missed an opportunity to honor greatness without delay.
The Hall of Fame class of 2026 was scheduled to be officially announced during Thursday night’s “NFL Honors” broadcast, but word had already leaked that Belichick wouldn’t be part of it. That news hit hard across the football world, and Gronk’s comments only amplified the conversation.
As the Seahawks and Patriots prepare to square off in Super Bowl LX, Gronkowski’s comments have added another layer to the week’s headlines - not about the game itself, but about the legacy of one of the greatest minds the sport has ever seen.
And if Gronk has his way, the Hall of Fame might need to rethink how it handles coaching legends moving forward. Because in his view, if Belichick didn’t get the first-ballot nod, then nobody else should - not even Andy Reid.