Robert Kraft is the most recent New England Patriots legend to not receive enough votes to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year. He joined Bill Belichick, arguably the most successful head coach in NFL history, to be left out of the 2026 class.
This has prompted many around the league to question the voting process that led to the iconic owner’s omission.
How Was Patriots Owner Robert Kraft Snubbed From 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class?
Kraft being snubbed from the Pro Football Hall of Fame‘s 2026 class is a shocking development leading into this year’s Super Bowl. He will be seeking a seventh ring when his Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks, which would allow him to stand alone on the all-time list for owners.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft, like his former head coach Bill Belichick, was not selected for entry into this year’s Pro Football Hall of Fame class, sources told ESPN.
The Class of 2026 will be revealed Thursday at NFL Honors in San Francisco, but it will not include Kraft. pic.twitter.com/W0YBwnxsq8
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 3, 2026
“Winning on Sunday and getting a record breaking 7th Super Bowl is what can make the snub worth something,” expressed Boston Connor.
All six of Kraft’s rings so far were won with Belichick as his head coach, who was also snubbed this year from being a seemingly obvious pick to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. While it’s surely surprising that neither of them earned enough votes, the voting system itself may be the biggest problem.
“New voting process, grouping coach, contributor and 3 seniors, and having them compete for 3 votes, is not working,” stated Gary Myers.
Full transparency: I voted for Robert Kraft. As I mentioned, I also voted for Bill Belichick. Think about this: Since HOFer Jerry Jones (class of ’17) last made it to SB in 1995, Kraft has been to 11 and goes for 7th title Sunday. He’s been to SBs with 3 coaches and 3 QBs. And… https://t.co/oFKKQDKtBi
— Gary Myers (@GaryMyersNY) February 3, 2026
The new voting criteria allows 50 voters to each pick three candidates. Some have argued that it needs to be expanded to account for the large number of eligible options.
“80 percent is still a tough minimum to hit,” shared Greg Auman.
So what if this new HOF math on seniors/coaches/contributors is so botched that not only do Belichick and Kraft not get in, but no Greenwood, no Craig, no Anderson? 80 percent is still a tough minimum to hit.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) February 3, 2026
For anyone eligible to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, they must appear on at least 40 of the 50 official ballots. Neither Kraft nor Belichick was able to do so this year, despite them clearly being among the greatest of all time in their positions.
“It’s an insane system that has to be changed and not merely the fault of voters. Put some of the blame where it belongs,” explained Rick Stroud.
There are 50 PFHOF voters who can only vote for three of the five candidates. 150 votes in the pool. If reports are true that Bill Belichick fell one vote shy of the 40 needed for election, that left 111 votes for the remaining four candidates. Say one player received 40 for… https://t.co/G5YtPTmwwB
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) February 3, 2026
Belichick reportedly received 39 votes for the Hall of Fame, but 40 were required for induction into the 2026 class. Kraft also fell short of the requirement, along with many others, including two-time Super Bowl MVP quarterback Eli Manning of the New York Giants. This means that a large chunk of voters apparently preferred other options to them.
“Who did these people vote for,” asked Lou Merloni.
Some are left wondering how true legends like Kraft can be passed over. It will be interesting to see who did get enough votes when the 2026 class is officially announced at the NFL Honors on Thursday night.
“This is incomprehensible,” exclaimed Dan Pompei. Kraft has a legitimate case for being the most successful owner in NFL history, including his Patriots winning ten AFC Championships since just the turn of the century. He orchestrated the Patriots’ dynasty alongside Belichick and Tom Brady.
While the omissions have dominated the headlines in recent days, many are left wondering who will get in instead of them. Drew Brees may be the only “lock” to get in, as he was the career leader in passing yards and touchdowns when he retired, before Brady surpassed both. Brees also finished among the top ten quarterbacks in PFSN’s Impact Rankings in 17 consecutive seasons.
