Neither Bill Belichick nor Robert Kraft will be heading to Canton this year.
Despite their roles in building one of the most dominant dynasties in NFL history, both Belichick and Kraft fell short of the voting threshold for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026. According to ESPN, neither received the required 80% approval from the 50-person senior committee - a group that could vote for up to three of this year’s five finalists: Belichick, Kraft, Roger Craig, Ken Anderson, and L.C. Greenwood.
It’s a surprising outcome, considering what the duo accomplished over their 24 seasons together in New England. With Belichick on the sideline and Kraft in the owner’s box, the Patriots reached nine Super Bowls and won six of them - a run of success that not only defined an era but reshaped the blueprint for building a sustained NFL powerhouse in the modern, salary-cap era.
Even before Belichick arrived in Foxborough in 2000, Kraft had already helped steer the franchise to a Super Bowl appearance. And the legacy continues - the Patriots are set to play in another Super Bowl this Sunday, facing the Seahawks in Santa Clara. It’s a testament to the foundation Kraft helped build, and the culture Belichick helped instill.
Belichick’s omission from the Hall in his first year of eligibility sparked a wave of criticism last week. The focus wasn’t just on the decision itself, but on the process - specifically, the separate system used to elect senior candidates, which differs from the one used for modern-era players and coaches. Many around the league questioned how someone with Belichick’s résumé could be left out, even temporarily.
Kraft publicly backed his longtime head coach in a statement last Wednesday, calling Belichick “the greatest coach of all time” and saying he “unequivocally deserves to be a unanimous first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer.”
“Whatever perceptions may exist about any personal differences between Bill and me,” Kraft added, “I strongly believe Bill Belichick’s record and body of work speak for themselves. As head coach of the New England Patriots for more than two decades, he set the standard for on-field excellence, preparation, and sustained success in the free agency and salary cap era of the National Football League.”
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell echoed that sentiment during his annual Super Bowl week press conference, expressing confidence that both Belichick and Kraft will eventually be enshrined in Canton.
“Bill Belichick’s record goes without saying, same with the Patriots and Robert Kraft, who is also a candidate,” Goodell told reporters. “They are spectacular. They have contributed so much to this game, and I believe they will be Hall of Famers.”
Goodell, who spoke before Kraft’s omission was confirmed, chalked Belichick’s snub up to “a timing issue,” noting the crowded field of deserving candidates.
“There are a lot of people who are deserving of this,” he said. “But there are a lot of people who want to be in the Hall of Fame, and Bill Belichick deserves to be in that Hall of Fame, too.”
For now, the Hall will have to wait. But given what these two meant to the game - from the dynasty they built to the standard they set - it feels more like a delay than a denial. Canton may not have room for them this year, but it’s hard to imagine its doors staying closed for long.