Tom Brady Teases Bill Belichick’s Hall of Fame Snub Without Saying It Directly
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
Tom Brady posted an Instagram story Thursday that looked like a simple congratulations to an old friend. The timing told a different story. Brady reshared the NFL’s graphic announcing Josh McDaniels as Assistant Coach of the Year with the Patriots, adding praise that felt loaded given what happened. Bill Belichick got left out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2026 class, and Brady’s word choices suddenly carried extra weight.
Brady’s message to McDaniels didn’t mention Belichick anywhere. “Incredible accomplishment Josh! My brother! Nobody works harder or is more committed then you! I’m so proud of you love you so much!!” The emphasis on commitment and hard work stood out. McDaniels won the award working under the current Patriots leadership, not under Belichick. Brady calling him the hardest worker and most committed felt like drawing a line between different coaching eras.
The Hall of Fame announced its 2026 class on Thursday, with Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Adam Vinatieri, Luke Kuechly, and Roger Craig making the cut. Belichick didn’t get the 40 votes needed despite eight Super Bowl rings and 333 career wins. ESPN reported that Deflategate and Spygate influenced voters who couldn’t get past the cheating allegations.
Brady already admitted on Tuesday on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” that Patriots connected to those scandals might face consequences. His McDaniel post came two days later with very specific language about commitment.
Tom Brady Knows His Own Hall of Fame Clock Is Ticking After Bill Belichick’s Snub
Rob Gronkowski cracked a joke on the Up & Adams show that might not age well.
“Tom Brady’s gonna be a fourth-ballot Hall of Famer now,” Gronkowski said after both Belichick and Robert Kraft got snubbed. “Like, [Kraft] can’t get in, Bill Belichick can’t get in, where’s Tom gonna sit?”
Brady’s own eligibility arrives in 2028. Seven Super Bowl rings. Three MVP awards. All-time records in starts, completions, attempts, yards, and touchdowns. That resume should guarantee first-ballot status. But Belichick had similar certainty before Wednesday, and Brady was central to Deflategate in ways he wasn’t to Spygate. The NFL suspended him for four games for his role.
Brady told Cowherd he should “be a little concerned” about his Hall chances given the pattern. Then he praised McDaniel for qualities Belichick’s critics claim the legendary coach lacked. Whether Brady meant it as commentary on Belichick or just an authentic celebration doesn’t matter much.
