Bill Belichick is one of the most decorated coaches in NFL history. Six Super Bowl wins.
Nine appearances. A résumé that practically screams first-ballot Hall of Famer.
And yet, in a surprising twist, at least 11 Hall of Fame voters didn’t punch his ticket to Canton in his first year of eligibility.
One of those voters, longtime columnist Vahe Gregorian, offered a rare look behind the curtain this week, explaining why he passed on Belichick-for now.
Let’s be clear: this wasn’t about Spygate, Deflategate, or any of the controversies that have followed Belichick throughout his career. Gregorian made it clear his decision wasn’t about punishment or protest. It was about priorities-and the ticking clock for players who’ve been waiting decades for their shot at football immortality.
This year’s Hall of Fame ballot featured two distinct groups: 15 modern-era players and five senior candidates. Voters were allowed to select up to five from the modern group and up to three from the seniors.
Belichick, along with Patriots owner Robert Kraft, was part of the senior category-sharing the ballot with running back Roger Craig, linebacker L.C. Greenwood, and quarterback Ken Anderson.
Gregorian chose to use all three of his senior votes on Craig, Greenwood, and Anderson-players he believes have waited long enough. That meant leaving Belichick and Kraft off his ballot, not because they don’t deserve it, but because the window for others might never open again.
“I felt duty-bound to vote for the richly deserving seniors, who most likely won’t ever have a hearing again,” Gregorian wrote. And that’s the key point.
The Hall’s senior selection process is notoriously limited. Only a handful of senior finalists are considered each year, and for many, it’s a one-and-done situation.
Miss your shot, and you might never get another.
Gregorian referenced a growing backlog of players-around 60 former all-decade selections-who haven’t been enshrined. That list includes Kansas City legends like cornerback Albert Lewis, wide receiver Otis Taylor, and offensive lineman Jim Tyrer, all of whom Gregorian has long supported.
Lewis and Tyrer have already been senior finalists but failed to make the final cut. Taylor, despite his impact, hasn’t even reached that stage.
It’s a bottleneck that continues to squeeze out deserving candidates, and Gregorian’s concern is that the system isn’t built to give them a fair shake. He pointed out that three of the six senior finalists who missed induction over the past two years didn’t return to the ballot the following year-a sobering reminder of how fleeting these opportunities can be.
That context shaped his decision. Gregorian entered the process expecting to vote for at least Craig and Belichick.
But as discussions unfolded, he felt the urgency for the senior candidates more acutely. The more he listened, the more he saw this as a now-or-never moment for Craig, Greenwood, and Anderson.
And when you look at their résumés, it’s hard to argue they haven’t earned it.
Roger Craig was a do-it-all back for the 49ers during their dynasty years. He played a pivotal role in three Super Bowl wins and became the first player in NFL history to log 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season.
L.C. Greenwood was a cornerstone of the Steelers’ legendary “Steel Curtain” defense, winning four Super Bowls and racking up sacks before they were even an official stat.
Ken Anderson? He was the 1981 NFL MVP, led the league in passer rating four times, and took the Bengals to their first Super Bowl. He was ahead of his time, a precision passer in an era that didn’t always value that style.
“These men have been snubbed for decades,” Gregorian wrote. And in his view, this was a rare shot to right those wrongs.
As for Belichick, Gregorian didn’t mince words. “He is inevitable soon … as he should be.”
In other words, Belichick’s place in Canton isn’t a matter of if, just when. Gregorian even admitted that his vote felt like a contradiction-acknowledging that Belichick shouldn’t have to wait, even though he made him wait.
But that’s the dilemma voters face. When the system forces you to choose between a legend whose legacy is secure and a few who might never get another chance, sometimes the tie goes to the forgotten.
Belichick will get in. That’s not up for debate.
But for Craig, Greenwood, and Anderson, this might have been the last stop on the road to Canton. Gregorian’s vote was a nod to that urgency-and a challenge to a Hall of Fame process that too often leaves deserving players behind.