If Bill Belichick isn't a Hall of Fame coach, then the Pro Football Hall of Fame might as well be shut down. ESPN's Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham reported that the legendary Belichick failed to earn the necessary support for enshrinement during a Jan. 13 voting session. This was Belichick's first appearance on the ballot, and while he'll get additional chances in future years, it's absurd that he didn't garner at least 80% support from the 50-person selection committee. In other words, at least 11 voters somehow didn't include him on their ballot. The committee's decision has stunned even its members, who cast their ballots anonymously and don't know the results. One told ESPN that while the scandals were brought up during a Zoom meeting, the discussion was tepid enough that the voter expected Belichick would cruise in. The voter recalls someone actually mentioning it would be 'embarrassing' for the committee if he didn't. Belichick's achievements are undeniable. He won 301 regular-season games as the head coach in Cleveland and, most notably, New England. That trails only Don Shula and George Halas. He won an additional 31 postseason games, more than anyone else. He captured 17 division titles with the Patriots, nine AFC championships, and six Super Bowls, each the most of all time. He designed innovative offenses, revolutionary game strategies, and a disciplined pursuit of perfection. As a defensive coordinator with the New York Giants, he won two more Super Bowls, including the 1986 team that allowed just 23 points in three playoff games. The debate isn't about whether he's a Hall of Famer; it's about whether he's the greatest coach of all time. The worst thing you can say about him is he never won big without Tom Brady. However, the committee's decision raises questions about the criteria for induction. If Belichick's résumé isn't the determining factor, then what should be? Did he need to be more polite in news conferences? Did he have to play nice with his peers? As for his run-ins with the rule book, he's no angel but was never cited in DeflateGate. The NFL found him responsible for Spygate, but he and the franchise paid the punishment. The continued success despite the lost draft capital should count in his favor. The committee's decision to exclude Belichick is a controversial one, and it invites discussion about the criteria for induction and the role of personal conduct in the voting process. Bill Belichick, perhaps the most obvious first-ballot Hall of Famer of all time, isn't a first-ballot Hall of Famer. It's the committee that should be voted out.
