President Donald Trump has taken aim at the Pro Football Hall of Fame voting process after longtime NFL coach Bill Belichick was not inducted on his first ballot, calling the decision “ridiculous” and urging that it be reconsidered.
Trump weighed in on Truth Social on January 28, shortly after news broke that Belichick did not receive enough votes in his first year of eligibility. The former New England Patriots head coach became eligible for induction this year but fell short of the support needed for a first-ballot selection.
“It is the same mindset that gave pro football the new and unwatchable ‘Sissy’ Kickoff Rule, that made it possible for Bill Belichick to not be elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Both are ridiculous and should be overturned!” Trump wrote.
Belichick won six Super Bowl championships as head coach of the Patriots and added two more titles as an assistant coach with the New York Giants. Yet despite his unprecedented success, he fell short of becoming only the fifth head coach in NFL history to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot.
According to ESPN, voters weighed several controversies from Belichick’s tenure during deliberations, including Spygate and Deflategate, which reportedly influenced the final decision.
Belichick is now in a new chapter of his career, serving as head coach at the University of North Carolina in his first season at the collegiate level after parting ways with New England following the 2023 NFL season.
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The Pro Football Hall of Fame has not publicly responded to Trump’s remarks, and there has been no indication that the voting outcome will be revisited or overturned.
Donald Trump, Bill Belichick, And Robert Kraft’s Longstanding Ties Resurface Amid Hall of Fame Controversy
Trump and Belichick have been publicly connected for years, dating back to Belichick’s long tenure with the Patriots. In 2016, the coach wrote a letter endorsing Trump ahead of the presidential election, which Trump later read aloud during a campaign rally.
“Congratulations on a tremendous campaign,” the letter began, according to Trump. “You have dealt with an unbelievable, slanted, and negative media and have come out beautifully — beautifully. You have proven to be the ultimate competitor and fighter. Your leadership is amazing.”
Belichick continued by praising Trump’s perseverance and expressing hope for a successful election outcome.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft, another figure with close ties to Trump, also remains outside the Hall of Fame despite being considered multiple times. Kraft has been passed over 13 times for induction, even as New England has reached 12 Super Bowls during his ownership.
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The Patriots are set to face the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX next week. Ahead of the matchup, former New England wide receiver Julian Edelman recently voiced support for Kraft’s Hall of Fame candidacy, pointing to the franchise’s sustained success across multiple eras, including championships won under different head coaches and quarterbacks during Kraft’s ownership.
