The Pro Football Hall of Fame door didn’t open this year for two of the most influential figures behind the New England Patriots dynasty. Not only was Bill Belichick left out, but team owner Robert Kraft also came up short in his first year of eligibility.
According to reports, Kraft, a finalist in the contributor category, did not reach the 40-vote threshold required for induction by the 50-person selection committee. While it’s not uncommon for first-time finalists to face a waiting period, Kraft’s omission still raises eyebrows given the sheer weight of his accomplishments since purchasing the team in 1994.
Under Kraft’s ownership, the Patriots have been a model of consistency and dominance. The franchise has appeared in 11 Super Bowls and claimed six Lombardi Trophies - a run that helped define an entire era of NFL football.
During his tenure, New England has posted a 338-179 regular-season record, good for a .653 winning percentage. That’s not just sustained success - it’s a masterclass in team building, organizational stability, and competitive excellence.
Kraft’s Hall of Fame hopes were likely impacted by the same undercurrents that may have influenced the decision on Belichick - another Patriots icon who was surprisingly left out this year. Belichick, now the head coach at the University of North Carolina, spent 29 seasons as an NFL head coach, including five with the Browns and 24 with the Patriots.
His résumé is as decorated as they come: six Super Bowl wins, 333 total victories, and a reputation as one of the most brilliant football minds the game has ever seen. He’s just 14 wins shy of Don Shula’s all-time record of 347.
Still, his legacy has long been shadowed by controversy. The most notable came in 2007 during the “Spygate” scandal, when the Patriots were caught filming Jets defensive signals from an unauthorized location.
The fallout was significant: a $500,000 fine for Belichick, a $250,000 fine for the team, and the loss of a first-round draft pick in 2008. While the league never directly linked Kraft to the incident, the scandal undoubtedly left a mark on the franchise’s reputation - and possibly on the Hall of Fame voting process.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell addressed the situation during a press conference on Monday, opting to focus on the broader legacies of both men rather than the specifics of their exclusion.
“Bill Belichick’s record goes without saying, same with the Patriots and Robert Kraft, who is also a candidate,” Goodell said. “They are spectacular. They have contributed so much to this game and I believe they will be Hall of Famers.”
And it’s hard to argue with that. Whether it’s Belichick’s defensive genius and unmatched adaptability on the sidelines or Kraft’s transformation of a once-struggling franchise into a global brand, their fingerprints are all over the modern NFL. Their time in Canton may not have come this year, but if history is any guide, it’s only a matter of when - not if.