Tom Brady, Robert Kraft, and NFL Stars Rally Behind Bill Belichick After Hall of Fame Snub
The news that Bill Belichick won’t be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his first ballot has sent a ripple through the football world - and not the good kind. For many, it’s a head-scratching decision. For those who’ve stood beside him, it’s downright baffling.
Count Tom Brady among those leading the charge in support of the legendary coach. The seven-time Super Bowl champion - six of those rings earned under Belichick in New England - didn’t mince words when asked about the decision.
“I don’t understand it,” Brady said during an appearance on Seattle Sports’ Brock & Salk. “I was with him every day.
If he’s not a first-ballot Hall of Famer, there’s really no coach that should ever be a first-ballot Hall of Famer… He’s incredible. There’s no coach I’d rather play for.
If I’m picking one coach to go out there to win a Super Bowl, give me one season, I’m taking Bill Belichick. So that’s enough said.”
That kind of endorsement isn’t just emotional - it’s grounded in two decades of shared dominance. Brady and Belichick didn’t just win together; they redefined what sustained success looks like in the modern NFL. And Brady’s not alone in his defense of the coach.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft also stepped up to make his stance crystal clear. In a statement, Kraft emphasized that any perceived personal differences between him and Belichick are irrelevant when it comes to the coach’s legacy.
“Whatever perceptions may exist about any personal differences between Bill and me, I strongly believe Bill Belichick’s record and body of work speak for themselves,” Kraft said. “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. He is the greatest coach of all time and he unequivocally deserves to be a unanimous first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer.”
It’s hard to argue with that resume. Belichick has eight Super Bowl rings - six as head coach in New England, two as an assistant with the Giants.
He holds the all-time record for playoff wins with 31, and his 333 total victories are second only to Don Shula. He’s also a three-time AP NFL Coach of the Year (2003, 2007, 2010).
Yet somehow, that wasn’t enough for first-ballot recognition.
The reaction has been swift and widespread. Former Patriots players flooded social media to voice their frustration.
Big names from across the sports world - including Patrick Mahomes, J.J. Watt, and LeBron James - chimed in to show support for the coaching icon.
Brady, for his part, knows Belichick’s Hall of Fame moment is coming. But that doesn’t make the delay any less puzzling.
“When it comes down to votes and popularity and all that, then welcome to the world of voting,” Brady said. “You may as well go try out for the Oscars and get a big panel to tell you if you’re good or not. So it’s the way it works.”
But for Brady - and for the countless players and coaches who’ve passed through Belichick’s orbit - the numbers, the rings, and the legacy speak louder than any vote.
“He’s going to get into the Hall of Fame in the end. I’m not worried about that,” Brady added.
“A lot of times in life, for all of us, things don’t happen exactly how you want to run your timeline, but we’ll all be there to celebrate him when it does happen. And he’s going to have a huge turnout from so many players, coaches that appreciated everything that he did and the commitment that he made to winning and the impact that he had on all our lives.
And that’ll be a great celebration when it happens.”
Whenever that moment comes, one thing is certain: Bill Belichick’s legacy is already cemented. The Hall of Fame may not have opened its doors just yet, but the game of football already knows exactly who he is - the greatest to ever do it on the sideline.