Bill Belichick’s Hall of Fame snub raises questions about NFL’s values and legacy.
Question: Just how many Super Bowl appearances does an NFL coach have to make – let alone win – to get a spot in Canton in his first year of eligibility? Answer: Contrary to the 1970s TV series title, eight is not enough.
Bill Belichick got snubbed by sportswriters yesterday in his first ballot for the Hall of Fame. As a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers, I may have had no love for Belichick and the dynasty he and Robert Kraft built around Tom Brady in New England, but . damn, man, at least I respected it. Belichick won two Super Bowls as a member of Bill Parcells’ staff, then went on to win six more as head coach of the Patriots in nine appearances. Belichick is one of only three NFL head coaches with six championships, but also has the most playoff coaching wins in league history (31) and is second for regular wins with a single franchise. In 24 seasons with New England, Belichick won 17 division titles and made it to the AFC championship game 13 times.
And yet, the sportswriters who control entry to Canton seem to think that Belichick has to wait his turn, or something. This is so inexplicable on the record that this has to be personal:
In voting earlier this month, Belichick fell short of the 40 out of 50 votes needed for induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame during his first year of eligibility, four sources with firsthand knowledge of the outcome told ESPN. Belichick received a call from a Hall representative Friday afternoon with the news that he won’t be inducted in Canton, Ohio, this summer.
Several sources who spoke with the coach over the weekend described Belichick as «puzzled» and «disappointed» by his inability to secure support from at least 80% of Hall committee members. .
With an NFL coaching record of 333-178, including playoffs — career victories second only to Don Shula’s 347 — Belichick was considered by most fans and Hall voters to be a first-ballot lock.
The Hall’s voting committee is composed mostly of veteran NFL reporters but also includes football figures such as former general manager Bill Polian and former coach Tony Dungy, both of whom are Hall of Famers.
