The Hall of Fame committee’s decision to pass on Bill Belichick for first-ballot induction is sending shockwaves through the NFL coaching community - and not just because of what it means for Belichick himself.
Last week, Belichick, now the head coach at North Carolina after a historic run with the New England Patriots, learned he won’t be part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2026 class. Despite a résumé that includes six Super Bowl titles as a head coach and two more as a defensive coordinator, Belichick failed to secure the required 80 percent of the vote from the Hall’s selection committee.
Let that sink in: 302 career wins, 165 losses, and arguably the most dominant two-decade run in NFL history - and still, no gold jacket just yet.
Yes, his first season at UNC ended in a 4-8 record, but that shouldn’t have factored into this vote. The Hall of Fame is about what someone has done for the game at the highest level, and in that regard, Belichick’s impact is undeniable. His coaching tree, his innovations on both sides of the ball, and his ability to adapt across eras make him one of the most influential figures the sport has ever seen.
But the real ripple effect of this decision is what it means for other coaches waiting their turn.
Because the Hall of Fame committee only selects one coach per year, Belichick’s snub this cycle means he’ll likely be back on the ballot next year - and that pushes other deserving names further down the line. Coaches like Mike Shanahan, who won two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos and helped revolutionize offensive football, will have to wait at least another year for consideration.
Former NFL agent Ben Dogra didn’t hold back his frustration on social media. He pointed out that Belichick’s omission not only delays his own induction, but also clogs the pipeline for other elite coaches.
“It’s called the ripple effect,” Dogra wrote. “Let’s put an owner ahead of a Head Coach w[ith] 6 SB Rings and 2 more as a Coordinator. Total joke - and now it impacts one of the greatest offensive minds and greatest head coaches of our generation.”
Dogra also called for full transparency in the voting process, arguing that the secrecy surrounding the ballots is outdated. “Make the voting totally transparent moving forward,” he added. “There is NO COMPELLING reason to keep it private anymore.”
And he’s not alone in his frustration. Vahe Gregorian of the Kansas City Star, who’s on the selection committee, explained why he didn’t vote for Belichick this year.
His reasoning? He wanted to use his vote on senior candidates - players who might not get another shot.
“I voted for the three senior candidates: Ken Anderson, Roger Craig and L.C. Greenwood,” Gregorian said. “You could call that rationalizing, I suppose.”
It’s a fair point. The Hall’s senior candidates often represent overlooked greatness from past decades, and their windows for induction are far narrower. But it’s also clear that many voters may have assumed Belichick would be a lock - and that assumption may have cost him the spot.
So now, the Hall of Fame faces a bit of a logjam. Belichick will almost certainly be inducted in the near future - his legacy is too big to ignore for long - but until then, other coaches waiting in the wings will have to keep waiting. And with only one coaching spot available each year, that wait could stretch longer than it should.
This isn’t just about honoring Belichick. It’s about the broader implications of how the Hall of Fame handles coaching legacies - and whether the current system gives enough room for all the deserving names to get their due.