After being denied in his first bid for Canton, Bill Belichick has once again been named as a nominee for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The 74-year-old who won eight Super Bowls as head coach of the New England Patriots and defensive coordinator of the New York Giants is among five former NFL coaches who are up for enshrinement. That group includes Mike Shanahan, Mike Holmgren, Tom Coughlin and Dan Reeves.
Those five nominees advanced from an original list of 14 candidates organized by the Hall of Fame’s Coach Subcommittee.
That group will debate the qualifications of each candidate before selecting one to advance to the Selection Committee’s annual meeting in early 2027. In total, the Selection Committee will debate 13 players, one coach and one contributor to determine next year’s Hall-of-Fame class.
Don Coryell was the last coach enshrined in Canton back in 2023.
Belichick, who now coaches at North Carolina amid reports he split up with his 25-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson, was famously denied in his first time on the ballot. Bill Parcells’ long-time assistant fell one vote short of the required 40 for enshrinement, igniting uproar among fans, including President Donald Trump.
Bill Belichick has once again been named as a nominee for the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Bill Belichick smiles as one of his former stars, Randy Moss, is inducted to the Hall of Fame
Perhaps because of that uproar, the Pro Football Hall of Fame tweaked its selection process for 2027. Not only was a separate category for senior players eliminated, but the selection committee was cut from 50 to 28, with only 25 eligible to vote each year.
The three non-voters will rotate each year, but will be able to take part in the debates on each candidate.
‘The Hall of Fame’s selection process has always been guided by integrity, thoughtful deliberation and a commitment to honoring those most deserving of football’s highest individual honor,’ Hall of Fame President Jim Porter said in September.
‘We believe these changes both augment what has worked well while addressing opportunities to further strengthen a tradition that means so much to the game and everyone who loves it.’
She’s still showing loyalty to UNC, but Jordon Hudson has reportedly split with Belichick
The committee will still cut down a list of 50 candidates to 25 semi-finalists and 13 finalists, on top of the aforementioned coaching candidate and contributor candidate.
Players still need to wait five years after they retire before becoming eligible.
Trump, legendary Giants pass rusher Lawrence Taylor, Patriots owner Robert Kraft and even Tom Brady joined in the chorus of condemnation for the subcommittee after Belichick’s snub.
‘I was with him every day – if he is not a first-ballot Hall of Famer, there’s really no coach that should ever be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, which is completely ridiculous because people deserve it,’ he told Seattle Sports.
‘He’s incredible. There’s no coach I’d rather play for: If I’m picking one coach to go and win a Super Bowl [and you] gimme one season, I’m taking Bill Belichick. That’s enough said.
‘Outside of that, when it comes down to votes, popularity and all that, well then welcome to the world of voting.’
Belichick accumulated a record of 333-178 across 29 regular seasons, leaving the NFL with more wins than any coach besides Don Shula.
