NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!
New England Patriots legend Rodney Harrison appeared to take a swipe at fellow running back Tony Dungy after Bill Belichick was left out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot.
The Hall of Fame voters’ decision to keep Belichick out of Canton on the first ballot caused backlash throughout the NFL world. Social media began to band together to try to find the voters who decided not to give Belichick the nod.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON Pakinomist
Rodney Harrison (left) and Tony Dungy talk on the field before the game between the Houston Texans and the Detroit Lions at NRG Stadium on Nov. 10, 2024. (Troy Taormina/Imagn Images)
Dungy, the former Indianapolis Colts head coach, was accused of being one of the voters who did not support Belichick. He has not revealed his vote, and Harrison appeared to speak directly to Dungy as he defended his former head coach.
“Any list that doesn’t include Bill Belichick at the top is dead wrong,” Harrison said during NBC’s Super Bowl LX coverage. “And a lot of the players that we mention are great players. I played with Drew Brees, I played with Adam Vinatieri, but there’s nobody more deserving than Coach Belichick.
TRUMP BRUSHES BILL BELICHICK’S ‘COTROVERSIELE’ FEW YEARS AMID HALL OF FAME SNUB
NBC Sports broadcaster Rodney Harrison during the game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium. (Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)
“I’ve seen his greatness. I’ve seen him design defenses to stop your (Dungy’s) offense. You just look at the players that he’s impacted. He’s been unbelievable. And when I look around the Hall of Fame…Tom Brady, Tom Brady, wouldn’t be Tom Brady without Bill Belichick. And that’s the one who’s coached the wrong part of you..”
Dungy again did not say whether he voted for Belichick, citing an “oath” he took to avoid discussing behind-the-scenes actions. Out of the category that Belichick was in – with Robert Kraft, Roger Craig, Ken Anderson and LC Greenwood – he didn’t get enough votes. Craig was voted into the Hall of Fame out of these elections.
Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts reacts after giving up a first quarter touchdown to the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI on February 4, 2007 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE Pakinomist APP
The Super Bowl champion coach took issue with the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s voting procedures.
“People think we voted against Bill Belichick,” Dungy said. “We didn’t. In fact, the same exact vote. In fact, if the same exact vote had taken place, the same totals as two years ago, Bill Belichick would have been in and so would another deserving Hall of Famer, and that’s why I’m upset. It’s not right.”
