What Belichick’s Exclusion From the HOF Means for Reid

There's no doubt that the Kansas City Chiefs have one of the top ten head coaches in the NFL. I'd argue that he's still top five, but their missing out on the playoffs may lead to recency bias for other head coaches around the league.

Andy Reid is a living legend, and whenever he decides to call it a career, he will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. That's what I would've said a week ago, before this entire Hall of Fame fiasco started. Bill Belichick, who many consider to be Reid's only superior, didn't make it into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, and it's set the NFL world on fire.

Not First Ballot?

After 24 seasons as the New England Patriots' head coach, Bill Belichick is trying his hand as a TV analyst during the 2024 NFL season. He is also currently a candidate to become the next UNC football coach. | Bob Breidenbach / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Regardless of how you may feel about Belichick's success and his ties with Tom Brady, you can't deny that he was one of the biggest reasons why the New England Patriots were as dominant as they were for so long.

The only head coach who could've caught up to Belichick's pedigree was Reid, and the recent success of the Chiefs, but that momentum has been halted, and it looks like it will take a long time before Reid reaches the levels of success that Belichick obtained.

Belichick has one of the most impressive head coaching resumes one can have. Eight Super Bowl rings under his belt, he's second all-time in total NFL wins behind the legendary Don Shula, and has the most playoff wins for his franchise.

If that type of resume can't make it into the Hall of Fame in its first year of eligibility, what hope does Reid or any other head coach have of becoming a first ballot Hall of Famer? This was such a legendary snub that even Patrick Mahomes had to say something about it!

Insane… don’t even understand how this could be possible https://t.co/EiKUeRPffn
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) January 27, 2026

Reid now has to have a career more legendary than Belichick's in order to get that recognition in the Hall of Fame, and at 67 years old, the chances of that happening aren't in his favor. It all depends on how well Mahomes can bounce back from his ACL injury, and if he can have a similar career arc as Brady's after his injury.

However, the truth is that the Chiefs aren't the Patriots, and their dynasties are different. Belichick's exclusion from the Hall of Fame means that Reid won't be a first-ballot Hall of Famer either, and arguably, no head coach after this should be.

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