Patriots' Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft Get Surprising Endorsement

Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells is something of an expert on “Canton-caliber” talent.

Parcells, known colloquially as the “Big Tuna,” served as head coach of the New England Patriots from 1993 to 1996 — helping restore “credibility and competitive success to what had been little more than a struggling franchise prior to his arrival. During that time, he served under current Patriots owner Robert Kraft, while employing former Pats head coach Bill Belichick as his defensive coordinator.

Therefore, it seemed only fitting that Parcells would lend his opinion on his former colleagues in the wake of the Hall of Fame’s announcing both Kraft and Belichick as finalists for enshrinement in 2026 by the senior committee — along with quarterback Ken Anderson, running back Roger Craig and defensive end L.C. Greenwood.

To little surprise, Parcells believes both Kraft and Belichick are deserving of induction. In fact, he recently revealed to MassLive that the voters should provide them with the honor this year.

“Most of these voting things have wound up political, but you can’t dispute what they’ve accomplished,” Parcells said of Kraft and Belichick. “When you’ve accomplished more than anybody else, it would be pretty ludicrous if it didn’t result in them getting in there.”

Belichick, Kraft Deserve Enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick (left) greets team owner Robert Kraft before the game. — Nov 22, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick (left) greets team owner Robert Kraft before the game against the New York Jets on Thanksgiving at Metlife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Despite being best known for brining a level of legitimacy to a franchise largely devoid of success before his arrival, Parcells has become known as much for the acrimony with which he left the organization in 1996. In fact, both he and Kraft lived on opposite sides of a layer of tension between them.

While both Kraft and Parcells, acknowledged their respect for each other’s contributions, the rancor over Parcells’ sudden jilting of the Patriots in the aftermath of Super Bowl XXXI remained in place for more than two decades. Fortunately, tensions between the two cooled enough for Parcells to be honored with an induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame earlier this year. It also appears to he solidified his thoughts on Kraft’s case for Canton.

“I think he should get in, don’t you?” Parcells asked in response to his thoughts on Kraft’s resume. “He’s very deserving. Look what the franchise has become.”

Since purchasing the Patriots in 1994, the team’s owner and CEO has overseen the most successful run of any NFL franchise during that time span. Under Kraft's ownership, the Pats have made the playoffs 21 times in his 27 years as owner. They have won 19 AFC East titles, including all but three since 2001 and 11 in a row from 2009 to 2019. They represented the AFC in the Super Bowl in 1996 (lost), 2001 (won), 2003 (won), 2004 (won), 2007 (lost), 2011 (lost), 2014 (won), 2016 (won), 2017 (lost) and 2018 (won). After having never won more than 11 games prior to Kraft's arrival, the Patriots have won at least 12 games 14 times, including finishing the 2007 regular season undefeated.

Kraft's contributions to the NFL landscape also extended outside Foxboro, Mass. He was instrumental in helping to settle the NFL lockout before the 2011 season. In fact, NFLPA representative and former Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday, once referred to Kraft as the "man who helped us save football."

Conversely, Belichick’s case is equally as impressive. For nearly a quarter-century, New England’s former head coach has been one of the most successful at his position in this, or any sport. After all, few, if any, have ever enjoyed the level of success Belichick has while at the Patriots helm. Six Super Bowl championships, three-time AP Coach of the Year awards, and nine conference titles are just some of the accolades which Belichick has collected during his time on the sidelines. His career win total (333 wins) is second all-time to Don Shula (347 wins).

Follwing his “parting of the ways” with New England in 2024 — after two consecutive losing seasons — Belichick was named the 35th head football coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels football team — In his first season as a coach at the collegiate level, he finished with a 4–8 record, as UNC failed to qualify for a bowl game for the first time since 2018.

Still, Belichick’s championship-laden resume with the Patriots — as well as the two he won as Parcells’ assistant coach with the Giants — make his eventual enshrinement in Canton a foregone conclusion.

Since being announced as finalists, much of the talk surrounding Kraft and Belichick has centered around their contentious relationship since Belichick’s employment in New England came to an end in January 2024. Yet, Parcells expressed hope for the future that his former Patriots colleagues will ultimately arrive at reconciliation — citing his own fluctuating relationship with Kraft as an example.

“Everything’s good with us now,” Parcells said of Kraft before adding: “I think it’ll be alright eventually with them [Kraft and Belichick] too.”

The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 will be announced Feb. 5 during the annual “NFL Honors” event at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. The cast will then be enshrined Aug. 8 at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH.

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