Six-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick was officially left out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026, likely opening the door to revisions in the selection process later this year.
Still, the New England Patriots dynasty Belichick helped helm well into the 2000s earned partial vindication as former Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri gained induction in his second year on the ballot.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald were elected in their first year of eligibility, and Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly was another headliner in the class. San Francisco 49ers great Roger Craig was the lone seniors candidate elected from the pool of five that featured Belichick.
“The fact that this will be memorialized forever, what an elite club that we’re part of, what a respect and a reverence that we have for this game,” Brees said. “And the opportunity to play this game, it was an absolute privilege.”
But Belichick’s omission, along with the franchise owner who hired him to spark a dynasty lasting parts of two decades, Robert Kraft, remain a talking point. Last week, as reports of Belichick’s omission circulated, figures such as LeBron James and Patrick Mahomes expressed shock and disappointment.
Former Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty said he would be surprised if the Hall escapes scrutiny when the new members are enshrined this summer.
“I think the travesty of all of this is this summer, there’s gonna be a Hall of Fame induction and there’s gonna be guys who are deserving of being in the Hall of Fame. And we can probably all bet that the top topic is gonna be Bill Belichick not being there,” McCourty said this week. “And I think that’s unfortunate because there are going to be players, coaches, contributors that are Hall of Fame-worthy, but because this feels like a huge mistake, the only talk is going to be about the guys that didn’t get into the Hall of Fame.”
Former Dallas Cowboys coach and Hall of Famer Jimmy Johnson skipped the announcement ceremony on Thursday because he was “pissed” about Belichick’s omission.
“He is the greatest of all time. Yes, he had a great QB, but we all did,” Johnson said.
The Hall of Fame said it understood and accepted the uproar over this year’s selection process, but did not name Belichick directly.
“It’s that very passion that propels the game. The Hall also respects the members of the Committee when they follow the selection process bylaws. It is an honor to serve as a selector,” the Hall of Fame said in a release. “… The selection of a new class is the most important duty the Hall of Fame oversees each year, and the integrity of that process cannot be in question.”
A Super Bowl winning quarterback under Sean Payton with the Saints, Brees (2001-05 San Diego Chargers, 2006-2020 Saints) and Fitzgerald (2004-2020, Cardinals) earned Gold Jackets in their first year on the ballot.
Brees ranks second in NFL history with 80,358 passing yards and 571 passing touchdowns and was a 13-time Pro Bowl selection in addition to Super Bowl XLIV MVP. Brees is the only member of the Saints to enter the Hall of Fame on the first ballot.
Fitzgerald was drafted third overall in 2004 and played 17 seasons for the Cardinals. He had 1,432 career receptions for 17,492 yards and ranks second in NFL history in both categories. He is sixth on the all-time receiving touchdowns list with 121.
“I never set out saying, ‘I’m going to be a Hall of Fame player,’” Fitzgerald said. “It’s not something you can ever imagine. It’s a surreal feeling.”
Kuechly, a finalist in 2025, was in his second year on the Hall of Fame ballot. He played only eight NFL seasons (2012-19 Panthers) and retired due to chronic head injuries after posting 1,092 tackles, 18 interceptions, 66 passes defensed, 12.5 sacks and 31 quarterback hits. He was named to NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2010s.
The versatile Craig, now 65, was elected on the back of winning three Super Bowls with the 49ers with Joe Montana and Jerry Rice in featured roles. He was the first running back with 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season, accomplishing the feat in 1985. He scored three touchdowns in San Francisco’s Super Bowl XIX victory over the Miami Dolphins.
In Vinatieri’s second year of eligibility, the 24-year NFL kicker (1996-2005 New England Patriots, 2006-2019 Indianapolis Colts) got the call. He holds numerous kicking records, including the marks for career points (2,673), consecutive field goals made (44), career field goals (599) and most seasons with 100-plus points (21).
His 48-yard field goal in the Super Bowl win over the Rams in February 2002, largely remembered for the performance of 24-year-old Tom Brady and Belichick’s mix of young and old talent, all but kickstarted the Patriots’ dynasty.
