NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
Reports first emerged in January that Bill Belichick would not be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame sparked strong reactions in the sports world.
Despite winning two Super Bowls as an assistant and six as Patriots coach, Belichick reportedly fell short of the 50-vote Hall of Fame threshold, raising questions about the voting process. The Pro Football Hall of Fame revealed its 2026 class during NFL Honors — a list that did not include Belichick.
ESPN reported that Belichick was initially “puzzled” and “disappointed” by his omission and wondered what more he needed to do to be inducted immediately. Although Belichick has largely avoided speaking publicly about his Hall of Fame status, he offered a measured response Tuesday when asked about the controversy.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PK Press Club
North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick with the team before the game at Kenan Stadium. (Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)
“I’m focused on coaching this team and taking Carolina football to the highest level possible. That’s what I’ve always done…I’m focused on what I can do and the things that aren’t in my control, I don’t worry about it,” he told reporters as North Carolina opened spring camp.
UNC general manager Michael Lombardi says “false stories” helped undermine Bill Belichick’s first season.
Belichick led North Carolina to a 4-8 record in his first season coaching in Chapel Hill, but a series of off-the-field headlines largely overshadowed the program.
During last year’s widely discussed “CBS Sunday Mornings” interview, Jordon Hudson was accused of trying to exert control during the former NFL coach’s session. The interview was part of a promotional tour for Belichick’s new book, “The Art of Winning – Lessons from My Life in Football.” Hudson, 24, gained attention for dating Belichick, 73, for more than two years.
North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick and his girlfriend Jordon Hudson watch from the sidelines against TCU at Kenan Memorial Stadium. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
The viral moment sparked questions about Hudson’s involvement in his personal and professional life and whether it could affect football operations.
Belichick previously dismissed the increased attention to his personal life. “Sometimes it’s loud, and sometimes it’s not,” he told ESPN last summer. “Sometimes with the Patriots it was loud too.”
North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick leads his team during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Charlotte in Charlotte, North Carolina, September 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)
Earlier this month, UNC general manager Michael Lombardi recently addressed the scrutiny and outside criticism that surrounded the program last season, defending the team’s response amid what he called inaccurate narratives.
“Throughout these stormy times, while the boat was capsizing, when people were attacking us with false rumors and false stories – no one has corrected them yet, but that’s okay, we understand – our players stayed together,” Lombardi told the “Pat McAfee Show”.
