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President Donald Trump reversed the decision to keep Bill Belichick out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot Wednesday.
Belichick did not get the necessary 40 votes from the 50-person panel made up of media members and other Hall of Famers, ESPN reported, citing sources. The snub sparked outrage across sports, including Patrick Mahomes, LeBron James, Jimmy Johnson and others.
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President Donald Trump arrives at a dedication ceremony for a portion of Southern Boulevard that the Palm Beach City Council recently voted to rename President Donald J. Trump Boulevard at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, January 16, 2026. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)
Trump added his voice to the chorus in an article on Truth Social, while also criticizing the NFL’s dynamic kickoff rules.
“This is the same mindset that gave pro football the new and unwatchable ‘Sissy’ kickoff rule, which kept Bill Belichick from being elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Both are ridiculous and should be rescinded!” » posted the president.
Trump has regularly criticized the NFL for its new kickoff rules, which were established before the 2024 season and changed through 2025.
Belichick was to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom during Trump’s first term. However, the former New England Patriots head coach refused after the Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol.
Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots before the game between the New England Patriots and the Cincinnati Bengals at Gillette Stadium on December 24, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts (Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
JULIAN EDELMAN REVEALS BILL BELICHICK’S MOST MEMORABLE RULE DURING THE PATRIOTS DYNASTY
Belichick, who is currently the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, had a record of 302-165 during his head coaching career between the Patriots and Cleveland Browns. He won six titles with Tom Brady as Patriots head coach before mutually parting ways with the franchise after the 2023 season.
He served as a defensive assistant under Bill Parcells with the New York Giants from 1979 to 1991. The team won two Super Bowls during this period.
He had a controversial ending with the Browns and New York Jets. The Browns moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens under the cover of obscurity, essentially leaving the entire franchise in the city. When he was about to accept the job as head coach of the Jets, he backed out at the last minute and decided to take the job in New England instead.
Bill Belichick answers questions during the press conference following a game between the New England Patriots and the Cincinnati Bengals on December 24, 2022, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Belichick’s Patriots career hasn’t exactly been sunshine and rainbows, either. He was involved in the Spygate and Deflategate scandals during his time. ESPN reported that the cheating scandals played a role in some voters’ decision about Belichick’s candidacy.
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Belichick’s coaching tree looked stronger than ever. The Patriots will return to the Super Bowl with Mike Vrabel at the helm. Vrabel won three titles under Belichick. Josh McDaniels, another member of Belichick’s staff, is also the team’s offensive coordinator.
