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Reports that former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick would not be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, in August have sparked strong reactions in the sports world.
Belichick, who won two Super Bowl rings as an assistant before coaching the Patriots to six titles, fell short of the 50-vote Hall of Fame threshold. Long presumed to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, Belichick’s omission raised questions about plummeting votes.
Bill Polian, former general manager of the Indianapolis Colts and Hall of Fame inductee, found himself at the center of much of the debate.
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Bill Polian released a statement confirming his Hall of Fame vote for Bill Belichick, denying a report that he told fellow voters the former NFL coach should wait. (Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Polian initially said he voted for the North Carolina football coach, before saying he couldn’t say with 100 percent certainty whether he did. In his latest attempt to clear the air, Polian said he checked the box next to Belichick’s name.
“I voted for Coach Belichick at the Hall of Fame selection meeting,” Polian said on SiriusXM NFL Radio Wednesday, reading from a prepared statement.
“The Pro Football Hall of Fame has confirmed this fact through the auditors of the selection process. Again, I will say that I never said that I thought Coach Belichick would have to quote, wait a year, quote unquote, to be enshrined. This has been confirmed by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the many selectors in the room and my vote for Coach Belichick.”
Polian said he always sought to be objective in his voting.
FILE – New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick watches the second quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at Gillette Stadium on October 4, 2018. (Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports)
“As a Hall of Famer and a selector, I realize the importance of what we do. As a selector, I have always tried to make these difficult choices with the utmost objectivity. I have said on SiriusXM Radio and many other media outlets that I believe Coach Belichick is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, my vote confirms that.”
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Polian referenced an ESPN report, citing sources who told the outlet that the Super Bowl-winning general manager was one of the voters who told others that Belichick should “wait a year” before being inducted. In addition to Wednesday’s statement, Polian also said Sports Illustrated that the accusations were “totally and categorically false.”
Bill Polian clarified that he voted to induct Bill Belichick into the Hall of Fame, denying a report that he told voters that the former Patriots coach would have to undergo a waiting period. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
“I was shocked to learn that Bill didn’t make it. He deserves to be in the Hall of Fame,” Polian said. told ESPN.
ESPN reported that Belichick was “puzzled” and “disappointed” when he learned he wasn’t accepted this year and wondered what more he needed to do as a head coach to get in immediately.
This year – and for the first time – longtime Patriots owner Robert Kraft was also a Hall of Fame finalist. It is unclear whether Kraft or any other finalists were elected to the Class of 2026.
