Voter Explains Bill Belichick Snub for 2026 Hall of Fame Class, Bill Polian's Reported Role

Legendary former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick will not be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Belichick did not receive the 40 out of 50 votes needed to secure a bid to the Pro Football Hall of Fame during his first year of eligibility.

According to ESPN's Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham, Belichick not receiving the votes could have to do with the Spygate and Deflategate scandals, with the topics coming up in "deliberations among voters."

One voter explained that former Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts general manager Bill Polian "told some voters he believed Belichick should 'wait a year' before induction as penance for Spygate."

Polian, however, told Matt Verderame of Sports Illustrated that he didn't have an influence on the voting, adding that he voted for Belichick to get in.

In a conflicting statement to Van Natta Jr. and Wickersham, Polian said "he could not remember with 100% certainty if he voted for Belichick."

"I was shocked to learn Bill didn't get in," Polian said. "He deserves to be in the Hall of Fame."

Belichick is widely considered to be one of the greatest NFL coaches of all time. He won six Super Bowls while leading the Patriots and another two as an assistant coach of the New York Giants. The three-time AP NFL Coach of the Year has a career record of 333-178.

Typically, that resume would be more than enough to earn a spot in the Hall of Fame.

"The only explanation [for the outcome] was the cheating stuff," one Hall of Fame voter told ESPN. "It really bothered some of the guys."

Spygate, which occurred during the 2007 season, was a controversy in which the Patriots were discovered to be videotaping other coaches' signals during games. The Patriots lost a first-round draft pick as a result. The team was also fined $500,000 and Belichick was fined $250,000 by commissioner Roger Goodell.

The second of Belichick's major scandals was Deflategate, which was when star quarterback Tom Brady was believed to have deliberately used slightly deflated balls in the 2014 AFC championship game to have a better grip.

Brady was suspended for the first four games of the 2016 campaign and New England was fined $1 million and had to give up a pair of 2016 draft picks.

Leaving Belichick out of the Hall this year could end up costing other deserving coaches a seat in Canton as well. Mike Shanahan, Tom Coughlin and Mike Holmgren were all among the favorites to be inducted, but Belichick's absence could change things.

"It pushes all three of these coaches back a year," long-time HOF voter Peter King said, per ESPN. "You have to ask yourself: What does the coaches committee do next year? Are they going to again advance Belichick? Wouldn't it be embarrassing if they don't? ... This decision has a major impact beyond just one year."

While the news may be frustrating, one source told ESPN that Belichick knows his snub has more to do with "politics."

"Politics kept him out," the source said. "He doesn't believe this is a reflection on his accomplishments."