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New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s relationship with Bill Belichick may have soured toward the end of the coach’s 23-year tenure, but the longtime owner is with the masses who feel he should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Shock is an understatement for how the football world reacted to reports that Belichick didn’t get the votes needed to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his first try.
Kraft was among those who said Belichick “unequivocally” should be heading to Canton.
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Former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick looks on as owner Robert Kraft addresses the media at Gillette Stadium about Belichick’s departure. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
“Regardless of any perception that may exist about any personal differences between Bill and me, I strongly believe that Bill Belichick’s record and body of work speaks for itself,” Kraft said in a statement.
“As head coach of the New England Patriots for more than two decades, he set the standard for excellence on the field, preparation and sustained success in the free agency and salary cap era of The National Football League. He is the greatest coach of all time and he unequivocally deserves to be a unanimous first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer.”
Prominent figures in football, including Kraft and Belichick’s crown jewel, quarterback Tom Brady, had something to say about the coach with the second-most wins of all time and six Super Bowl rings not being drafted.
TOM BRADY CONFUSED THAT BILL BELICHICK DIDN’T MAKE HALL OF FAME ON FIRST BALLOT
“I don’t get it,” Brady said on Seattle Sports 710-AM. “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, which is completely ridiculous because people deserve it.”
Kansas City Chiefs great Patrick Mahomes, who went against Belichick’s Patriots in his career, added that it was “crazy” to see the news.
“Don’t even understand how this could be possible,” Mahomes responded to X on ESPN’s Adam Schefter’s post about the news that Belichick fell short of the 40 of 50 votes needed to be inducted in his first year of eligibility.
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft smiles before the 2025 NFL game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee on October 19. (Kara Durrette/Getty Images)
ESPN reported that Belichick, who received the news last Friday that he didn’t make the cut, asked a colleague, “Six Super Bowls isn’t enough,” talking about the championships won in New England.
“What’s a guy to do?” he reportedly added.
ESPN added that Belichick, who also won two Super Bowls during his time as defensive coordinator of the New York Giants, was “puzzled” and “disappointed” that he did not secure at least 80% of the votes of the Hall’s committee members.
“Politics kept him out. He doesn’t believe this is a reflection of his performance,” a source told the paper.
Belichick owns the second most wins by a head coach in NFL history, at 333-178, including the playoffs. He is second only to the great Don Shula, the Hall of Famer who has 347 wins.
It’s Belichick’s track record as the head of a dynasty in New England that led many to believe there was no way he would make it past a first ballot.
ESPN reported that the infamous Spygate and Deflategate scandals involving the Patriots, during Belichick’s time at the helm, came up during deliberations on whether to vote him into Canton.
Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick spoke to the media at Gillette Stadium about his departure. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Kraft is also a finalist for the Hall of Fame as a contributor and is considered a strong candidate to enter immortality in Canton. But some wonder if Belichick isn’t around, won’t Kraft make it either?
The relationship between owner and head coach soured toward the end of what was a dynasty-filled tenure with Belichick at the helm. The handling of Brady’s exit, where he ultimately chose the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and won a Super Bowl in his first season outside of Foxborough, as well as public statements about credit for success, led to big headlines about Belichick’s exit before the 2024 season.
