Bill Belichick has not been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In 2026, his first year of eligibility, he fell short of the necessary votes; election requires 80 percent of the hall’s committee members. Belichick was reportedly puzzled by the vote—as were others, including prominent players and coaches. His six Super Bowl wins (2002, 2004, 2005, 2015, 2017, and 2019) as head coach of the New England Patriots are a record; he also won two Super Bowls (1987, 1991) as a defensive coordinator with the New York Giants. Some observers believed that the first-year snub was for several scandals that occurred during his tenure with New England. Perhaps most notable was “Spygate” during the 2007 season, when a member of the Patriots’ staff was caught with illegal videotapes that showed the sideline signaling of the New York Jets. That discovery resulted in an unprecedented $500,000 fine for Belichick and questioning in the media and around the league about his coaching ethics. There was also “Deflategate,” in which the Patriots were caught using deflated balls during a 2015 playoff game; underinflated balls are a violation of NFL rules, since they are easier to grip and travel farther when thrown. Belichick, however, was cleared of any explicit wrongdoing.
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