Bill Belichick snubbed by Hall of Fame: Could Tom Brady face same outcome?
The Pro Football Hall of Fame might as well put a “B” on every gold jacket it hands out from now until the end of time as a scarlet letter in the wake of Bill Belichick’s first-ballot snobbery. ESPN’s explosive report revealing the legendary head coach, widely considered the greatest the NFL has ever seen, was voted out of Canton in the first round, shook the league and left a permanent stain on the institution.
It’s disconcerting to be in a reality where Belichick isn’t a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee, but here we are. Because we live in such a reality, we must now ask ourselves this question: Is Tom Brady next?
It’s an equally ridiculous idea to consider, but the simple fact is that if it can happen to Belichick, it can almost certainly happen to Brady, the co-pillar of the New England dynasty. Brady retired after the 2023 season, meaning he will first be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2028. But will he actually make it? What was once considered the most obvious lock is no longer so.
“I don’t understand,” Brady told Seattle Sports on Wednesday when asked for his reaction to Belichick’s snub. “I mean, I was with him every day. If he’s not a first-ballot Hall of Famer, there’s really no coach that should ever be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. … There’s no coach I’d rather play for. If I’m picking a coach, to go win a Super Bowl, give me a season, I’ll take Bill Belichick.”
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Let’s look at the reasons given for why Belichick won’t be taken in the first round. The report from ESPN’s Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham cites several sources who point to New England’s two cheating scandals – Spygate and Deflategate – as key elements in why Belichick is on the outside looking in.
“The only explanation [for the outcome] “It was a cheating thing,” one veteran Hall voter told ESPN on Tuesday. “It really bothered some guys.”
As for Spygate, Belichick was fined $500,000, while the team was awarded a first-round pick and was also fined $250,000. Brady was the New England Patriots quarterback during this period of alleged videotaping, but did not receive any sort of specific punishment. Deflategate, however, is a whole different story. Brady was at the center of this scandal and ended up serving a four-game suspension.
We will not delve into the credibility of the NFL’s findings regarding their investigation, the ideal gas law, or the Wells report in context. We’re just pointing out that there is ammunition to peg Brady, just like there was with Belichick regarding Spygate. Voters decided to use it against Belichick, and it’s questionable whether they’ll use it against Brady once he’s eligible. At this point, they would look extremely hypocritical if they didn’t, which further highlights how inexcusable and laughable Belichick’s snobbery was in the first place.
