You’d think legendary former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick not getting into the NFL’s Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot was the crime of this and every other century, based on the backlash, but not everybody is as outraged by the decision as the legions of fans, ex-players and coaches who have taken Belichick’s omission personally.
Hall of Famer Champ Bailey, a rival of the Patriots during his years with the Denver Broncos, explained to Kay Adams why he can see both sides of the argument. Speaking on the Up & Adams Show, former 12-time Pro Bowl cornerback Bailey explained, “I can see on the other hand why he should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. There’s a lot of questions around his time as a head coach. You got ‘Spygate’ and all these other things that happened. So you that to worry about, also, he was never very kind to the media. What I’ve understood throughout my career and before, and definitely after, is your relationships with the media determined a lot of awards you get.”
HOF CB Champ Bailey chimes in on Bill Belichick’s first-ballot snub
@champbailey | @heykayadamsBailey, who had a controversial 100-yard interception return in one of Belichick’s more infamous defeats, against the Broncos in the 2005 playoffs, did stress that while he “can see it,” he also admitted, “I wouldn’t do it.” Meaning Bailey wouldn’t have voted against the man who coached the Patriots to nine Super Bowl appearances and won six Lombardi Trophies.
That’s worth pointing out, given how the decision to reject Belichick at the first time of asking has prompted a level of anger it’s hard to compare to anything in the recent past. The backlash toward the hall, its voters and processes has been intense, but the truth is Belichick’s case is far from a clear-cut one, despite everything he achieved in New England.
Bailey has hit on some of the reasons against Belichick going into the Hall right away, but there are other compelling factors.
Bill Belichick Hall of Fame Debate is Murky and Complex
While many are shocked about Belichick being overlooked, it’s equally surprising more people didn’t anticipate his candidacy being a complex one. After all, the context around him is murky, defined by both controversy and supposed political machinations.
Bailey’s reference to “Spygate,” the 2007 scandal that led to Belichick and the Patriots incurring league-mandated punishment after accusations of filming opposing signals, is only part of the controversy.
There was also “Deflategate,” the 2014 accusations the Patriots were deflating footballs below the league’s limit. The NFL subsequently investigated, but cleared, the Pats of involvement of headsets malfunctioning during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers the following year, something then-Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said was a regular occurrence when teams visited New England, per ESPN.com.
In 2020, the Pats were forced to give up a draft pick and pay another fine after a team employee was found to be filming the sideline of the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2019 season. That same year, AFC East rivals the Buffalo Bills took exception to Patriots assistants, including Belichick’s son Brian, watching their warmups.
Like it or not, a lot of negative perceptions still exist about the lengths the Patriots would go to in order to gain an edge on Belichick’s watch. While his involvement in some of the scandals was absolved, it was never likely this chatter wouldn’t be in the minds of at least some Hall of Fame voters.
That speculation was fuelled by ESPN’s Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham reporting ex-Indianapolis Colts general manager Bill Polian “told some voters he believed Belichick should ‘wait a year’ before induction as penance for Spygate, the 2007 cheating scandal that cost the team a first-round draft pick.”
Polian subsequently denied doing so, telling Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame, “That’s totally and categorically untrue. I voted for him.”
“That’s totally and categorically untrue. I voted for him.”
However Polian and others voted, it’s not a stretch to imagine some would be wary of the checkered history and narratives surrounding Belichick. It’s why the forceful defense of Belichick by former two-time Super Bowl-winning Dallas Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson is so tricky.
Johnson, himself a member of the Hall, expressed his frustration by posting, “If they are using the EXCUSE of spygate that’s ridiculous…many teams (including ourselves) tried it..Howard Mudd at Kansas City who later coached for Bill Polian and Tony Dungy gave us the idea..he was the best..we didn’t get anything and stopped but many teams gave it a try.”
An argument that essentially boils down to Belichick should be forgiven for any transgressions he may have committed, on the grounds he manipulated the rules more intelligently and effectively than the rest, is difficult to align with championing true competition and fair play within the game.
It’s equally difficult to be comfortable with the possibility Belichick was denied entry by politics. Specifically, if the candidacy of Patriots owner Robert Kraft impacted Belichick’s claim.
Kraft and Belichick engaged in an apparent back-and-forth spat of sorts after the latter was fired following the 2023 season. Yet, Kraft “strongly believes” Belichick should’ve been inducted, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
“Whatever perceptions may exist about any personal differences between Bill and me, I strongly believe Bill Belichick’s record and body of work speak for themselves. As head
Ironically, Belichick’s ignominious exit from New England, after so many successful years, is another credible argument for his being made to wait.
Tom Brady’s Role in Patriots Dynasty Creates Hall of Fame Doubt
This argument could best be called the Tom Brady argument. Put simply, Belichick’s record without Brady, or any elite quarterback for that matter, isn’t just worse. It’s well below average in two cities.
For the Patriots, Belichick went 45-55 without Brady, counting the 2008 season, when TB12 suffered a season-ending injury in the first quarter of the first game. Belichick’s Brady-less Pats made the playoffs just once, in 2021, losing 47-17 to the Bills.
Things don’t look better when factoring in Belichick’s tenure in charge of the Cleveland Browns from 1991-’95, when he never had a Pro Bowl quarterback. A 37-45 record, including only one winning season out of five and just a single postseason victory, followed.
Belichick hardly helped change the narrative he’s far from great without a great QB after going 4-8 with North Carolina in 2025. The first time the Tar Heels didn’t make a Bowl game in seven years, according to AP reporter Aaron Beard.
These lowly records won’t deny Belichick Hall of Fame entry forever, but it’s not unreasonable to suppose the discrepancy would influence some voters. Belichick will ultimately get his due as the central figure of so many championship runs, along with some of the greatest games and most famous decisions in NFL history.
For now though, there are valid reasons, including those offered by Bailey, for why Belichick’s candidacy is not as straightforward as many claim.
Patriots Rival ‘Can See Why’ Hall of Fame Snubbed Bill Belichick