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The relationship between New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick may have soured toward the end of the coach’s 23-year tenure, but the longtime owner is among the masses who believe he should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Shock is an understatement for the football world’s reaction to reports that Belichick didn’t get the votes needed to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his first try.
Kraft was among them, saying Belichick should “unequivocally” go to Canton.
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Former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick watches as owner Robert Kraft speaks to the media at Gillette Stadium about Belichick’s departure. (John Tumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
“Whatever perceptions may exist regarding the personal differences between Bill and me, I firmly believe that Bill Belichick’s journey and body of work speaks for itself,” Kraft said in a statement.
“As head coach of the New England Patriots for more than two decades, he set the standard for on-field excellence, preparation and sustained success in the National Football League’s free agency and salary cap era. He is the greatest coach of all time and unequivocally deserving of unanimous first-ballot election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”
Prominent football figures, including Kraft and Belichick’s crowned jewel, quarterback Tom Brady, had something to say about the coach with the second-most wins of all time and six Super Bowl rings going unelected.
TOM BRADY PERPLEXED BY BILL BELICHICK’S FAILURE TO GET TO THE HALL OF FAME ON FIRST BALLOT
“I don’t understand,” Brady said on Seattle Sports 710-AM. “If he’s not in the Hall of Fame in the first ballot, no coach should be in the Hall of Fame in the first ballot, which is completely ridiculous because people deserve it.”
Kansas City Chiefs great Patrick Mahomes, who faced Belichick’s Patriots during his career, added that he was “crazy” to see the news.
“I don’t even understand how that could be possible,” Mahomes responded on
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft smiles before the 2025 NFL game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee on October 19. (Kara Durrette/Getty Images)
ESPN reported that Belichick, who learned last Friday that he had failed to qualify, asked an associate, “Six Super Bowls isn’t enough,” referring to the championships won in New England.
“What’s a guy to do?” he would have added.
ESPN added that Belichick, who also won two Super Bowls while defensive coordinator for the New York Giants, was “puzzled” and “disappointed” that he didn’t get at least 80 percent of the votes from the floor committee members.
“Politics has kept him away. He doesn’t think it reflects his achievements,” a source told the outlet.
Belichick has the second-most wins by a head coach in NFL history, with a record of 333-178, including the playoffs. He is just behind the great Don Shula, the Hall of Famer who has 347 victories.
It was Belichick’s run at the helm of a dynasty in New England that made many believe he would have no chance of making it past the first round of voting.
ESPN reported that the infamous Spygate and Deflategate scandals involving the Patriots during Belichick’s tenure came up during deliberations over whether to elect him to Canton.
Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick spoke to the media at Gillette Stadium about his departure. (John Tumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Kraft is also a finalist for the Hall of Fame as a contributor, and he is considered a strong candidate for immortality in Canton. However, some are speculating that if Belichick isn’t there, won’t Kraft make it either?
The relationship between owner and head coach deteriorated toward the end of what was a dynasty-filled tenure with Belichick at the helm. The handling of Brady’s exit, where he ultimately chose the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and won a Super Bowl in his first season outside of Foxborough, as well as public statements about crediting success, have led to headlines about Belichick’s exit ahead of the 2024 season.
