Former Patriots, sports legends react to Bill Belichick Hall-of-Fame snub

New England Patriots

“I mean this is crazy. What are we even voting on?”

Bill Belichick’s Hall-of-Fame snub rankled Julian Edelman and several of his former players. AP Photo/Matt Slocum

Eight Super Bowl titles reportedly wasn’t enough to earn Bill Belichick a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

According to ESPN’s Seth Wickersham and Don Van Natta Jr., Belichick won’t be a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer — as the 73-year-old head coach didn’t receive the 40 out of 50 votes needed for a spot in Canton during this voting cycle.

Given Belichick’s sterling NFL coaching credentials, it should come as little surprise that several former Patriots — along with many other sports figures and media members — voiced their anger at Belichick not earning a spot in this Hall of Fame class.

Here are a few reactions from many around the sports world at Belichick’s snub:

Julian Edelman, former Patriots wide receiver

David Andrews, former Patriots center

Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback

James White, former Patriots running back

LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers forward

Man there’s no way I read that right! Right? Ain’t no WAY Bill Belichick ain’t 1st Ballot HOF!! That’s IMPOSSIBLE, EGREGIOUS, and quite frankly DISRESPECTFUL!

— LeBron James (@KingJames) January 28, 2026

Devin McCourty, former Patriots safety

Jason McCourty, former Patriots cornerback

Jimmy Johnson, Hall-of-Fame head coach

This is just WRONG ..#2 winning ALL TIME…more Super Bowls than anyone unimaginable # of division championships…lot of small jealous voters https://t.co/Q4H5Qnz2L2

— Jimmy Johnson (@JimmyJohnson) January 27, 2026

PLEASE…If you did not vote for BB identify yourselves!!! Probably too much of a coward..Hide behind your SECRET BALLOT!!! https://t.co/mApEhMNg1K

— Jimmy Johnson (@JimmyJohnson) January 27, 2026

As a HOF coach I think Bill Belichick is the greatest of all time…yes he had a great QB but we all did..he won AFTER THE salary cap and free agency plus I Know how much he LOVES THE NFL and the game..I’m pissed.. https://t.co/1Pfd42a2rd

— Jimmy Johnson (@JimmyJohnson) January 28, 2026

Damien Woody, former Patriots offensive lineman

Matt Cassel, former Patriots QB

That’s insane and absolutely ridiculous. He is the greatest to ever do it! First Ballot is for the best in our game, both players and coaches. Bill clearly is deserving of that honor. https://t.co/gQzp8cJMu2

— Matt Cassel (@M_Cassel16) January 27, 2026

J.J. Watt, 3-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year

I can’t be reading this right.

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. https://t.co/OXhL1Sd4FM

— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) January 27, 2026

Kendrick Bourne, former Patriots wide receiver

Christian Fauria, former Patriots tight end

Ja’Whaun Bentley, former Patriots linebacker

you know how big of a hater u gotta be to see somebody with 8 rings & be like…nah
😂😂

— JB (@NVBentley33) January 27, 2026

Aqib Talib, former Patriots cornerback

Bill Belichick not being a first-ballot Hall of Famer is the most outrageous robbery in NFL history!!!

— AqibTalib21 (@AqibTalib21) January 28, 2026

Damien Harris, former Patriots running back

“If there is a Hall of Fame, if there is a way for coaches to get in it — there’s no way, there’s no world where Bill Belichick is not a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer,” Harris said on CBS Tuesday night, adding; “He is hands-down the best orchestrator of an organization, of a team. … I was just as shocked as everyone else. It doesn’t really make any sense.”https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2026/01/27/haverhill-police-officers-involved-in-mans-death-wont-face-charges-da-announces/

Phillip Dorsett, former Patriots wide receiver

Logan Ryan, former Patriots cornerback

Darius Butler, former Patriots defensive back

Bob Socci, Patriots radio play-by-play voice

Whatever one thinks personally of Bill Belichick, deciding that he doesn’t belong in Canton on the first ballot does a disservice to the Hall of Fame and the game whose history the selectors are entrusted with. Incredible.

— Bob Socci (@BobSocci) January 28, 2026

Jonas Gray, former Patriots running back

I didn’t always see eye to eye with Coach Belichick based on how things went for me — but him NOT making the Hall of Fame on the first ballot is insane.

Deflategate was a manufactured controversy.

If an 8x Super Bowl Champion and 2x Coach of the Year isn’t first-ballot, the…

— Jonas Gray (@JonasLGray) January 28, 2026

Terrell Owens, Hall of Fame wide receiver

Owens was one of several former players who took umbrage with former NFL GM and Pro Football Hall of Famer Bill Polian — who is on the Hall-of-Fame voting committee.

“A voter who spoke on condition of anonymity said that Polian, an ardent [Robert] Kraft supporter and former general manager of the Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts — a chief Patriots rival during their dynasty — told some voters he believed Belichick should “wait a year” before induction as penance for Spygate, the 2007 cheating scandal that cost the team a first-round draft pick,” Wickersham and Van Natta wrote.

Robert Griffin III, former NFL QB

No matter how you feel about Bill Belichick, he EARNED being a 1st Ballot NFL Hall of Famer.

8-Time Super Bowl Champ.

Greatest NFL Coach of All Time.

For him not to be is RIDICULOUSLY STUPID.

— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) January 27, 2026

Kevin Youkilis, former Red Sox first baseman

Bill Belichick not being a 1st ballot HOFer might be the right time to include a percentage of the vote to players in their respected sports. Each sport chooses the amount of service time needed. MLB could use the gold card, 8 years of service time, for the requirement to vote.

— Kevin Youkilis (@GreekGodOfHops) January 28, 2026

Dez Bryant, former All-Pro wide receiver

Whoever is holding the authority has got a personal problem with him..because there ain’t no way Coach Belichick is not a first ballot Hall of Famer… https://t.co/NJIMOaxdln

— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) January 27, 2026

Ryan Clark, former Steelers safety and current ESPN personality

If rumors are true and Bill Polian led the charge of Belichick waiting because of Deflategate and Spygate does that mean that Tom Brady has to wait too?

Because ain’t no fricking way Tom is waiting or should wait… and neither should Bill!

— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) January 27, 2026

Lou Williams, former NBA guard

Mike Pellegrino, former Patriots cornerbacks coach

Gerald McCoy, former All-Pro defensive tackle

The voters have to not remain anonymous anymore. We need an explanation for why Bill Belichick one of the greatest coaches ever of any level of any sport with 8 SB’s is not a first ballot HOF’er……… No explanation will be valid but I need to know. I’m sorry man!! This insane!

— Gerald McCoy (@Geraldini93) January 27, 2026

Cameron Jordan, New Orleans Saints defensive end

Sometimes I scratch my head when a candidate gets in the HOF, this time I’m scratching my head on how an HOF candidate didn get in… https://t.co/KKqDlDvtXz

— Cam Jordan (@camjordan94) January 27, 2026

Albert Breer, Sports Illustrated writer

Dan Graziano, ESPN NFL writer

From SportsCenter — @DanGrazianoESPN on Bill Belichick not being a First Ballot HOFer:

“It’s embarrassing. If I were a member of the Pro Football HOF voting body I’d be embarrassed about it and I’d make it very clear that I wasn’t 1 of the 11+ who deiced not to vote for him… pic.twitter.com/XhXXBdmfC9

— Follow: @ThrowbackPATS (@ThrowbackPATS) January 27, 2026

“You’re gonna tell me Spygate & Deflategate, this is a voting body that has for years insisted that it only focuses on what happened on the field. Are you gonna hold Tom Brady out for Spygate & Deflategate too,” Graziano said on ESPN. “And by the way, there’s guys in there that have been suspended for PEDs, gambling, for all kinds of things. So now, when it comes to Belichick, it matters and it’s never mattered before… I think it’s a crock.”

Peter Schrager, ESPN NFL analyst

Wild part of the Belichick / Hall of Fame news is how much reverance and respect he has (had?) for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, itself. He’s spoken about going to Canton on visits with his father when he got the Cleveland job. There’s perhaps no greater student of NFL History.

— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) January 27, 2026

Jemele Hill, The Atlantic writer

Bill Belichick could have cussed out my momma and I would have voted for him for the HOF. A bad look for the entire committee.

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) January 28, 2026

Pat McAfee, former Colts punter, current ESPN personality

Bill Belichick is officially not a first ballot Pro Football Hall Of Famer

Bill Belichick..

Bill Belichick could be in 🐐 conversations for Coach AND GM and he isn’t a first ballot Hall Of Famer in the PRO FOOTBALL Hall Of Fame pic.twitter.com/LIg7DoFrFT

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 27, 2026

Keyshawn Johnson, former Jets wide receiver

As a @ProFootballHOF voter, I believe in full transparency: I voted for Bill Belichick and I am embarrassed for our 50-member committee that the greatest coach in NFL history is not a first ballot HOFer and some voters apparently felt he deserved to be punished for Spygate.

— Gary Myers (@GaryMyersNY) January 28, 2026

Jay Gruden, former NFL head coach

Coach Belichick didn’t get the votes for the Hall… I guess 9 Super Bowls is the number the voters are looking for.

— Jay Gruden (@Coach_JayGruden) January 28, 2026

Mike Freeman, NFL writer

The Pro Football Hall of Fame isn’t some mechanism to punish people or settle old scores. You don’t make Bill Belichick wait a year as a disciplinary action. He’s a Hall of Famer or he isn’t. And of effing course he is.

— mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) January 27, 2026

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.

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