Tom Brady isn’t holding back when it comes to defending his former coach, and honestly, who can blame him?
In a recent radio appearance on Seattle Sports’ “Brock and Salk” show, the seven-time Super Bowl champion sounded off after news broke that Bill Belichick was not selected as a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Brady, who spent two decades building one of the greatest dynasties in NFL history alongside Belichick, made it clear: if Belichick doesn’t get in on the first try, who should?
“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,” Brady said. “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. That’s enough said.”
That’s coming from the most decorated quarterback in league history, a guy who knows what it takes to win at the highest level - and who did it six times with Belichick. From 2001 to 2019, the Brady-Belichick tandem defined excellence in the NFL. Their six Super Bowl wins together aren’t just a record - they’re a blueprint for sustained dominance in a league built for parity.
Belichick’s resume is staggering. He walked away from the NFL in 2024 with 333 career wins as a head coach, second only to Don Shula’s 347.
Shula, for context, was a first-ballot Hall of Famer back in 1997. Belichick also holds the all-time record for postseason wins (31) and Super Bowl victories by a head coach (six).
Those aren’t just impressive numbers - they’re historic.
And yet, here we are, with Belichick on the outside looking in - at least for now.
Brady, never one to shy away from speaking his mind, didn’t mince words when discussing the Hall of Fame voting process.
“When it comes down to votes and popularity and all that, welcome to the world of voting,” he said. “You may as well go try out for the Oscars or whatever and get a big panel to tell you if you’re good or not. It’s the way it works, unfortunately.”
Still, Brady made it clear he’s not worried about whether Belichick will eventually be enshrined in Canton - just that the delay feels like a miss.
“He’s going to get into the Hall of Fame. I’m not worried about that,” Brady said.
“A lot of times in life - for all of us - things don’t happen exactly how you want them on your timeline. But we’ll all be there to celebrate him when it does happen.”
Of course, Belichick’s career hasn’t been without turbulence. After Brady left New England in 2020, the Patriots struggled to maintain their dominance. Belichick went 29-38 over his final four seasons, including a 4-13 mark in his last year on the sideline.
And then there’s the controversy. Belichick was at the center of two of the most high-profile scandals in league history: “Spygate” in 2007, which cost the Patriots a first-round draft pick and saw Belichick fined $250,000; and “Deflategate” in 2015, which further fueled criticism of the Patriots’ methods during their run of success.
But for many around the league, Belichick’s legacy - and his place in the Hall of Fame - shouldn’t be in question.
“Insane,” wrote Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes on X. “Don’t even understand how this could be possible.”
Former NFL defensive end Marcus Spears didn’t hold back either: “This may be the stupidest s- ever.”
The full 2026 Hall of Fame class will be revealed on February 5 during the NFL Honors show. Whether Belichick gets the call then or later, his impact on the game is already cemented. As Brady said - and as the numbers back up - if Belichick isn’t a first-ballot Hall of Famer, then what exactly are we doing here?