Bill Belichick snub causes Pro Football Hall of Fame to consider voting process changes

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is weighing possible adjustments to its selection process after a contentious voting year that left former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick outside the Class of 2026. Hall of Fame president Jim Porter told the Associated Press that the organization plans to review both procedure and enforcement following backlash from fans and some voters, though he emphasized the discussion extends beyond any single candidate. 

Belichick, eligible for the first time, failed to secure the required 80% support from the 50-member selection committee despite a résumé that includes six Super Bowl titles as a head coach and eight overall.

Among the most immediate changes under consideration is a return to in-person voting. The committee has met virtually since the COVID-19 pandemic, but Porter said face-to-face discussion could improve clarity and accountability. The Hall of Fame is also likely to move the final vote closer to the NFL Honors ceremony, a shift aimed at limiting leaks that surfaced during the more than three-week gap this year.

Porter added that the Hall of Fame may revisit whether to disclose vote totals or even individual ballots in the future, though no such information will be released for the 2026 class. He also said the Hall of Fame will evaluate whether any selectors violated voting rules, including discussing confidential deliberations publicly or failing to follow instructions to vote strictly for the most deserving candidates.

That issue came into focus after Kansas City Star columnist and voter Vahe Gregorian publicly explained his decision to select senior-era players Ken Anderson, Roger Craig and L.C. Greenwood over Belichick. Gregorian wrote that he viewed the senior candidates as facing potential “last chances” for induction. Porter said that rationale runs counter to the rules.

“That’s not an option,” Porter said, noting voters are repeatedly instructed to choose only the most deserving candidates, regardless of category or future eligibility.

The controversy has renewed criticism of rule changes implemented last year that combined senior players — those retired at least 25 years — with coaches and contributors into a single ballot. Under the format, voters select three of five finalists, with only the top vote-getter and anyone exceeding the 80% threshold earning induction. Craig was the lone candidate to clear that bar this year.

It marked the third straight year without a coach being elected, prompting calls from some selectors to once again separate coaches and contributors from senior players. Porter said he is not inclined toward that change, noting that for decades all groups were evaluated together.

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Still, the Hall of Fame is assessing broader trends. It is the second consecutive year with fewer than five modern-era inductees after another rule change narrowed the final ballot. After 12 straight years with at least seven inductees, only five were elected this year and four last year.

“We’ll do some tweaks and we’ll take a look,” Porter said. “We’re going to do what’s best for the Hall of Fame. My job is to protect the integrity of the Hall, protect the integrity of the process.”

Belichick, now coaching at North Carolina, was described by associates as “puzzled” and “disappointed” by the outcome. Some voters cited past Patriots scandals as a factor, underscoring the tensions the Hall of Fame now hopes to address through potential procedural changes.