Bill Belichick Among 12 Coaches to Advance in 2026 Pro Football HOF Selection Process

Bill Belichick has moved one step closer to being a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2026.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced on Tuesday that 12 coaches, including Belichick, advanced to the next stage of the selection process through the Coach Blue-Ribbon Committee.

2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame Coach Candidates

• Bill Belichick
• Bill Arnsparger
• Tom Coughlin
• Alex Gibbs
• Mike Holmgren
• Chuck Knox
• Buddy Parker
• Dan Reeves
• Marty Schottenheimer
• George Seifert
• Mike Shanahan
• Clark Shaughnessy

Belichick has only been out of the NFL since January 2024 when he and the New England Patriots mutually parted ways.

In the past, both players and coaches had to be retired for at least five years before they could become eligible for the Hall of Fame. That meant Belichick would have to wait until at least 2029 for his eligibility to arrive.

However, in August 2024, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced several changes to its selection rules, including that coaches only had to be out of the NFL for one year before becoming eligible for induction.

Since the selection process for the 2025 class was already underway by the time those changes were implemented, Belichick was not eligible to be included with that group.

Tuesday's vote narrowed the list of coaching candidates to 12 from 15 total nominees. The next step in the process will reduce the candidates down to nine when the committee holds a virtual meeting in mid-November.

There is a chance that Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who has advanced to the semifinal stage as part of the contributor committee in each of the past two years, go into the Hall of Fame together if the voting goes in their favor.

Belichick has arguably the most impressive coaching resume in NFL history. His work as a head coach includes the third-most regular-season wins (302), most playoff wins (31) and the most Super Bowl titles (six).

Along with his 29 seasons as a head coach between the Patriots and Cleveland Browns, Belichick also had 19 years as an assistant. He was the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants from 1985 to '90, winning two Super Bowl titles during that span.