Pro Football Hall of Fame Voting Process Explained amid Bill Belichick Snub, Controversy

The omission of New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick from the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2026 class has shined a spotlight on the voting process itself.

ESPN's Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham first reported Tuesday the coaching legend failed to receive the necessary 40 votes from the 50-person committee to be inducted.

Belichick's snub defied belief because few coaches have ever merited stronger consideration to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Naturally, fans were left to ask how this happened.

The Hall of Fame tweaked its voting procedure in August 2024, and recent events may have highlighted a flaw in how coaches are judged.

Coaches fall under the same umbrella as contributors and seniors. The initial candidate pool in each is winnowed down to nine semifinalists. One finalist emerges from the coach category. The contributor category also has one finalist, while there may be as many as three finalists from the seniors group.

A possible problem arises because the 50-person voting panel can only select up to three of the five finalists for induction.

That's where some game theory can arise.

The Kansas City Star's Vahe Gregorian confirmed Wednesday he didn't vote for Belichick. He instead picked 1981 NFL MVP Ken Anderson, three-time Super Bowl champion Roger Craig and four-time Super Bowl winner L.C. Greenwood.

Gregorian explained that his decision reflected nothing about Belichick. He simply wanted to elevate three players whom he believes are Hall-worthy and could fall through the cracks.

"In the end, though, I felt more compelled by what I perceive to be last chances and looming lost causes within the system as we have it — a system I hope the Hall will see fit to change now," he said.

Especially with somebody who has as strong a resume as Belichick does, a voter could surmise — incorrectly in this case — that he's well clear of the bar for induction. Therefore, picking a candidate more on the margins could have a bigger impact.

Have enough voters independent reach that conclusion and chaos can ensue.

Perhaps there were some agendas at play and members of the selection committee wanted to settle some old scores with Belichick. The ultimate explanation for the outcome could be far more innocuous.