Bill Belichick Not Inducted into Hall of Fame

Bill Belichick’s first competitor in the Hall of Fame voting has been announced. Virhe Gregorian, from the Kansas City Star, disclosed that he was among at least 11 voters who didn’t vote for Belichick this year. This marks the first time, surprisingly, that the eight-time Super Bowl champion has not been inducted.

In his column on Wednesday, Gregorian, who has covered the NFL for around 40 years, clarified that this decision wasn’t influenced by the Spygate or Deflategate controversies, nor Belichick’s previous media testimony. Instead, he pointed to what he described as the “weird selection dynamics” of the Hall of Fame as the reason for his vote going elsewhere.

Besides the usual 15-person vote, voters had to select from a special five-person category comprising three senior candidates, contributors, and coaches. In this round, Belichick, who was named coach of the year, was competing against senior candidates Ken Anderson, Roger Craig, and LC Greenwood, along with contributor Robert Kraft, the longtime owner of the Patriots.

Voters were allowed to choose only three candidates from this subset. To gain entry into the Hall in Canton, Ohio, a candidate was required to have 80 percent support—40 out of 50 votes.

Gregorian expressed that he thinks all five candidates deserve induction, even though only three could receive their votes. Initially, he intended to support Belichick on the first ballot. But when the time came, he felt a sense of duty to vote for the three senior candidates—Anderson, Craig, and Greenwood—who were facing their last opportunity at entering the Hall, a notoriously challenging feat.

He remarked, “All three have been worthy of being in the Hall of Fame for a long time. All three have been, well, ignored for decades.” Gregorian also mentioned other notable players, like Albert Lewis, Otis Taylor, and Jim Tyler, who also missed out on induction as seniors, underscoring his concern about Belichick’s similar fate.

Gregorian noted that despite votes not favoring Belichick this time, his eventual induction seems “inevitable,” understanding why there was public outcry over the decision. He acknowledged, “I can see why people are upset that he didn’t make it right away. Honestly, there’s no need to wait.” He emphasized his hope for changes in the selection system in the future, recognizing the pressing need for it.