Shocking New Details Revealed On How Many Votes Bill Belichick Actually Missed Out On To Get Inducted Into The Hall Of Fame

This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

One of the top NFL stories this week was Bill Belichick’s stunning snub from the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

Bill Belichick became eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the first time this year. With six Super Bowl rings (the most among any head coach) and 302 victories (third-most ever), Belichick should have been a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Patrick Mahomes and LeBron James were among the vocal critics of Belichick being left out of Canton this year. The Pro Football Hall of Fame even issued a statement after Belichick’s snub, warning its voters that action will be taken, “If it is determined that any member(s) violated the selection process bylaws.”

To make this saga even more infuriating for Belichick? He was as close as it gets to reaching the Hall without actually making it.

Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is one of the Canton voters. Dulac wouldn’t reveal how he voted, but he reports that Belichick was just one vote away from getting his call to the Hall:

“To be elected, a candidate has to receive at least 80% of the votes, or, in this instance, 40 of the 50. Belichick, according to a published report, did not. He received 39.”

The wait has to be irritating for Belichick, yes. But it’s impossible to imagine him being snubbed again next year. His spot in Canton is coming.

Bill Belichick’s Snub Is A Bad Look On The Hall Of Fame Voters

During his coaching days with the New England Patriots, Belichick wasn’t the most popular football figure among other teams and fanbases. Yes, there were the Spygate and Deflategate scandals. And no, he was hardly friendly and warm to the media.

But this is by far the greatest coach in NFL history. This is a man with six Super Bowl rings as a head coach. He also won two as the New York Giants’ defensive coordinator. If he ever returns to the NFL, he’ll likely break Don Shula’s win record.

It’s just a terrible all-around for the Hall of Fame to snub Belichick. The voters aren’t obligated to explain their decisions, but the whole thing could have been avoided if they rightfully inducted Belichick in his first year of eligibility.