Hall of Fame Controversy Brews Ahead of 2026 Class Reveal - Belichick, Kraft Reportedly Left Out
SAN FRANCISCO - The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 hasn’t even been announced yet, but it’s already making waves - and not the celebratory kind.
According to multiple reports, two of the most iconic figures in New England Patriots history - longtime owner Robert Kraft and legendary head coach Bill Belichick - are not expected to be part of this year’s class. That’s a stunning development, especially considering Belichick is in his first year of eligibility and widely regarded as the most accomplished head coach in NFL history. Kraft, while eligible for years, had finally advanced to finalist status via the contributors committee.
The expectation from many around the league was that Belichick would be a lock and Kraft a strong candidate. Their apparent omission has sparked serious questions about the Hall of Fame selection process - including from those directly involved in it.
Tony Dungy, a Hall of Famer himself and one of the 50 voters on the selection committee, didn’t hold back when speaking ahead of Super Bowl LX in San Francisco. Dungy, who has deep ties to Pittsburgh both as a former player and coach, voiced his frustration with how the process has evolved in recent years.
“I don’t like the process the way it is now,” Dungy said Tuesday. “I said it last year.
Now, I’m not going to comment on this year’s voting because I don’t know who’s in and who’s out, but I said it last year. We changed the process last year and went to this 80% deal.”
Dungy’s referring to the voting threshold now required for induction - a shift that’s had a noticeable impact. Just five years ago, the Hall welcomed an eight-person class: five modern-era players, one coach, one contributor, and one senior inductee.
Last year? That number dropped to just four: three modern-era players and one senior.
No coaches. No contributors.
“That’s because we changed the voting process,” Dungy continued. “I don’t know what we’re going to have this year, but if you don’t have a full class - we’ve got so many people who are worthy of being in the Hall of Fame - and if we don’t put a full class in, to me, that’s wrong.”
Dungy’s comments underscore a growing concern among voters and fans alike: that the current system might be keeping deserving legends on the outside looking in.
And for Dungy, this year’s decision hits especially close to home.
One of the senior finalists this year is L.C. Greenwood - a dominant defensive end for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1969 to 1981.
Greenwood, part of the famed “Steel Curtain” defense, helped anchor a dynasty that brought four Super Bowl titles to Pittsburgh. He’s been eligible for years but is a finalist now for the first time.
Dungy overlapped with Greenwood as a player from 1977 to 1978 and again in 1981, when Dungy was coaching the Steelers’ defensive backs. Their connection runs deep, but Dungy says he made a conscious effort to separate personal ties from professional judgment.
“L.C. Greenwood was a special player and a special man,” Dungy said.
“He was a guy that I looked up to as a high schooler. And then I got to Pittsburgh and I had the chance to play alongside him.
He did things at the left-end position - had to do it in our defense - that no other left-ends did. He won four Super Bowl rings.
He was an outstanding player.”
Dungy admitted it wasn’t easy to stay impartial when voting on Greenwood’s case.
“For me to be on the voting team and have to be impartial, that’s hard because he was so special to me,” he said. “So I had to fight my way to be impartial and put that out of my mind. But he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.”
Greenwood is one of three senior finalists this year, joined by former Steelers quarterbacks coach Ken Anderson and former 49ers running back Roger Craig. The full Class of 2026 - including 15 modern-era finalists - will be revealed during NFL Honors on Thursday.
Regardless of who gets the nod, the debate over the Hall’s evolving selection criteria isn’t going away anytime soon. When names like Belichick and Kraft are reportedly on the outside, it forces a hard look at the system - and whether it’s truly honoring the game’s most impactful figures.