Robert Kraft Misses Hall of Fame Cut Again-But His Legacy Keeps Building the Case
Another year, another Hall of Fame class without Robert Kraft. The longtime New England Patriots owner didn’t make the cut for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026, extending a wait that’s starting to feel longer than it should. With former Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen still the most recent NFL owner to receive a gold jacket-he was inducted back in 2019-Kraft remains on the outside looking in, despite a résumé that stacks up with the best of them.
To understand where Kraft stands in the Hall of Fame picture, it helps to look at the big picture. While there was a brief run in the late 2010s when NFL owners were getting the call-Eddie DeBartolo Jr. in 2016, Jerry Jones in 2017, and Bowlen in 2019-the path to Canton for team owners has generally been a slow burn.
Before that trio, you have to go back to Ralph Wilson in 2009, and then Dan Rooney in 2000. That’s two owners in nearly two decades.
In total, only 18 team owners have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Eleven of them got in between 1963 and 1972, a flurry that ended with Lamar Hunt in ’72.
After that? A 20-year drought before Al Davis broke through in 1992.
So yeah, patience isn’t just a virtue-it’s practically a requirement for NFL owners trying to get to Canton.
But when you line up Kraft’s accomplishments next to those already enshrined, it’s hard to argue he doesn’t belong. Since taking over as principal owner in 1994, Kraft has overseen a franchise that’s become the gold standard in the NFL. The Patriots made it to the Super Bowl in just his third season at the helm, and then came the unprecedented run with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady that defined two decades of football dominance.
Let’s put it this way: the Patriots are the only team in NFL history to put together back-to-back dynasties-one in the 2000s, and another in the 2010s. That’s not just sustained success; that’s rewriting what a dynasty looks like in the modern NFL.
And if history is any guide, owners who led teams through dominant decades usually get their due. Art Rooney Sr. was at the helm when the Steelers won four Super Bowls in the 1970s.
DeBartolo oversaw the 49ers’ run in the ’80s, with five Super Bowl wins in a 14-year span-a record for any owner. Jerry Jones, who bought the Cowboys in 1989, was the owner during their dynasty of the 1990s.
But Jones also made his mark off the field, revolutionizing the NFL’s business model and helping drive the league into a new era of revenue and visibility.
Even with those credentials, most of them had to wait. DeBartolo didn’t get in until 21 years after his last Super Bowl win-and 16 years after he sold the team.
Jones was inducted 21 years after the Cowboys’ last title, though his influence on league-wide business decisions certainly helped his case. Timing, influence, and legacy all play a role.
Kraft’s been in the conversation for a while now. He was first nominated back in 2013 and has been eligible every year since.
He reached semifinalist status last year but was edged out by Ralph Hay, one of the NFL’s founding figures. This year marked his first appearance as a finalist, where he advanced past other notable names like Bud Adams, the founder of the Houston Oilers, and Steelers executive Art Rooney Jr.
Kraft’s candidacy came under a revamped Hall of Fame selection process introduced in 2025. He was the lone representative from the contributor category, going head-to-head with another Patriots legend-Bill Belichick, who was nominated from the coaches category.
The field also included three senior players: L.C. Greenwood, Roger Craig, and Ken Anderson.
Ultimately, none of the Patriots figures-Kraft or Belichick-received enough votes to make the Class of 2026.
Still, the fact that Kraft reached the final round signals momentum. His track record speaks for itself: six Super Bowl titles, 10 conference championships, and a reputation for building one of the most successful operations in NFL history. Whether it’s next year or down the line, his gold jacket feels like more of a “when” than an “if.”
For now, the wait continues. But if history has shown us anything, it’s that the Hall of Fame doesn’t forget greatness-it just takes its time acknowledging it.