Patrick Mahomes and LeBron James stunned by Bill Belichick’s Hall of Fame snub

Bill Belichick, widely regarded as the greatest coach in NFL history, surprisingly failed to make it past the first ballot into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, despite having more Super Bowl rings than anyone in the sport.

The legendary coach, who led the New England Patriots to six Lombardi Trophies and won two more trophies as an assistant coach with the New York Giants, did not receive the 40 votes needed from the 50-person panel of media members and Hall of Famers, ESPN reported Tuesday, citing unidentified sources.

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The news shocked the U.S. soccer community, with players and fans expressing disbelief.

NBA superstar LeBron James called the decision “impossible, shocking and frankly disrespectful,” while NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes called it “crazy.”

On February 5, at the NFL Honors Ceremony in San Francisco, the Hall of Fame refused to release the list of 2026 graduates.

However, some voters have publicly expressed support for Belichick, with some calling on those who voted against him to reveal their identities.

OutKick senior NFL writer and Hall of Fame voter Armando Salguero presented Belichick’s case to the subcommittee and the entire selection body.

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Salguero, who voted for Belichick, believes the infamous “Spygate” scandal was the main reason for the snub.

“Spygate is the reason some voters are unable to vote for Belichick because they feel it tarnishes his record,” Salguero wrote in his column.

He believes those who oppose Belichick should identify themselves, saying: “They should identify themselves as the ones excluding Belichick from the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year. I’m here to say that and will say the same to their faces. Their vote cost Belichick an opportunity and embarrassed the Hall of Fame in the process.”

In his speech, Salguero highlighted Belichick’s notable success in the aftermath of Spygate, pointing to a better winning percentage (.693 compared to .580 before the incident), three additional Super Bowl wins and six division titles.

He also noted that Belichick has 14 double-digit wins since Spygate and has more regular-season wins than 22 of the 28 coaches already inducted into the Hall of Fame.

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“Those facts may have changed some of Belichick’s minds. But it didn’t change enough people,” Salguero concluded.

Belichick is one of five finalists in the coach, contributor and senior player categories, along with Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Roger Craig, Ken Anderson and LC Greenwood.

One to three of the finalists will be selected along with three to five modern players.

The selection process for 2025 has changed, with voters now selecting three out of five candidates, with new rules requiring coaches to be eligible one year after retirement instead of five.

Belichick sat out one season when his 24-year tenure with the Patriots ended in 2023, then returned to coach North Carolina and finished his first season with a 4-8 record.

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NFL writer Mike Sando, who voted for Belichick, said the outcome could be “a repudiation of the new voting rules implemented in 2025 rather than a repudiation of Belichick or any of the unsuccessful candidates.”

Belichick’s stellar career began as the Giants’ top defensive assistant under Bill Parcells.

After coaching Cleveland from 1991-95 and a stint with the Jets, he took over New England in 2000.

There, he built a dynasty with quarterback Tom Brady, leading the Patriots to six Super Bowl victories, including an undefeated 16-0 regular season record.

His 333 regular-season and playoff wins with New England and Cleveland were second only to Don Shula’s 347, and he was named the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year three times.

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Another voter, USA Today NFL columnist Jarrett Bell, also expressed embarrassment and called for transparency: “At least 11 of the 50 members voted against BB. At least they should expose themselves because that requires transparency. Don’t lump us together.”