Bill Belichick, Cam Newton, Rob Gronkowski, More Eligible for 2027 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class

News emerged Tuesday that Bill Belichick, who won two Super Bowls as the New York Giants' defensive coordinator and six more as the New England Patriots' head coach for eight total, will not be a first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer, per ESPN's Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham.

Belichick, who last coached for the Pats in 2023, became eligible for the Hall of Fame after sitting out the entire 2024 NFL season. This year marked his first time for eligibility into the Hall, but he has reportedly fallen short.

However, Belichick will be considered yet again next year, when a host of prominent ex-NFL stars will await consideration for the first time.

Per Matt Verderame of Sports Illustrated, they include quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger and Cam Newton, running backs Adrian Peterson and Le'Veon Bell, wide receiver Antonio Brown, offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth, cornerback Richard Sherman and safety Eric Weddle.

When strictly looking at football resumes, numerous players have strong cases for the Hall.

Roethlisberger was a six-time Pro Bowler and two-time Super Bowl winner who threw for 64,088 yards and 418 touchdowns over an 18-year career quarterbacking the Pittsburgh Steelers. His teams won more than twice as many regular season games (165) as they lost (81) with him under center.

Gronkowski is one of the best tight ends (if not the best) to ever play the game. He's a five-time Pro Bowler and four-time First Team All-Pro who scored 108 touchdowns in 165 games (including playoffs). He's also a four-time Super Bowl champion and a member of the Hall of Fame's All-2010s team.

Peterson ended his 15-year career with 14,918 rushing yards (17,392 yards from scrimmage total), 126 touchdowns from scrimmage, seven Pro Bowls, four All-Pro nods and the 2012 NFL MVP to cap a year when he rushed for 2,097 yards. He's currently fifth all time on the NFL's rushing list.

Brown had an unbelievable six-year run from 2013-2018, averaging 114 receptions, 1,524 yards and 11 touchdowns per year. He led the NFL in receptions twice and receiving yards twice while making four All-Pro First Teams and seven Pro Bowls overall. Brown also finished top three in the AP Offensive Player of the Year race on three occasions.

Richard Sherman was the face of the Seattle Seahawks' infamous Legion of Boom secondary, which guided the team to a dominant Super Bowl win to cap the 2013 season. That No. 1 Seahawks defense was a force to be reckoned with in an era where the rules are slanted towards offensive success. Sherman was a five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro who made the Hall of Fame's All-2010s Team.

Cam Newton dominated the NFL during his MVP-winning season in 2015 and led the Carolina Panthers to a 17-2 overall record and NFC title. He also made three Pro Bowls and earned 2011 Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Injuries unfortunately cut his career short, and he really only got nine full (or close to it) seasons in during his 11 years in the league. Still, Newton was one of the most entertaining and electric players of his time.

We'll see what voters decide down the road when a few new players become eligible. In the meantime, the next HOF class will be revealed on Thursday, Feb. 5 during the NFL Honors ceremony.