Patriots Country

NFL World Outraged Over Wild Bill Belichick Hall of Fame News

NFL players and fans across the country have protested online against former New England Patriots coach, Bill Belichick, not being a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Daniel Arwas|
Dec 17, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick watches from the sideline as they take on the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
Dec 17, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick watches from the sideline as they take on the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

In this story:

New England Patriots

The New England Patriots will grace Super Bowl LX with their presence on February 8, where they go up against NFC Champions the Seattle Seahawks in a rematch of Super Bowl XLIX.

That Super Bowl famously saw Patriots cornerback, Malcolm Butler make a dazzling interception of Russell Wilson in the end zone to seal the game for New England at the end of the fourth quarter.

And on January 27, something not quite, but almost, as shocking occurred with regards to the impeding Hall of Fame selection prior to the NFL Championship: former Patriots head coach and six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach, Bill Belichick, is NOT a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

NFL World Reacts to Belichick's Snub

Fans, players and the media - as one may expect - were both surprised and outraged by the seemingly inexplicable exclusion of Belichick from his rightful - and one imagines eventual - gold jacket ceremony.

"I can’t be reading this right," three-time Defensive Player of the Year and future Hall of Famer, JJ Watt, wrote on X in response. "This has to be some knock-off Hall of Fame or something, it can’t be the actual NFL Hall of Fame.

"There is not a single world whatsoever in which Bill Belichick should not be a First-Ballot Hall of Famer."

"Insane… don’t even understand how this could be possible", three-time Super Bowl champion and two-time MVP, Patrick Mahomes, wrote on social media.

Mahomes faced Belichick one time in the playoffs during his career, an overtime loss for the former at Arrowhead Stadium back in the 2018 AFC Championship game.

Fellow Super Bowl-winning head coach (two-time) with the Dallas Cowboys, Jimmy Johnson, also had some pretty clear words to say on the issue.

"This is just WRONG ..#2 winning ALL TIME…more Super Bowls than anyone unimaginable # of division championships…lot of small jealous voters," Johnson wrote on X in response to the news.

Patriots.com's Evan Lazar pointed to this exclusion as part of a wider, anti-Patriots agenda throughout the NFL.

"The anti- bias by the Pro Football Hall of Fame compared to other NFL dynasties continues," Lazar wrote.

"'70s Steelers have 10+HC+owner, '80s 49ers have 6+HC+owner, '90s Cowboys have 6+HC+owner.

"Yet the HOF keeps Belichick, Vinatieri, Harrison, and more out. It's ridiculous."

And it seems that, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz, this snub could certainly mean something to Belichick himself.

"A text from someone close to Bill Belichick:" Schultz reported, "No man cares more about the history of football than Bill. Today is a sad day for the league he loves."

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns, and so much more!

Published
Daniel Arwas
DANIEL ARWAS

Daniel Arwas is a writer for On SI, covering the New England Patriots. Daniel began his career in the sports industry in 2022 and has covered the NFL for Heavy, Gridiron Heroics, and The Hammer. Daniel is also a former Sports Trader at Betclic Group, where he co-led the NFL and Boxing teams. Daniel has a Bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of British Columbia, where he graduated in 2021.

Home/News