The Pro Football Hall of Fame is under heavy scrutiny after New England Patriots legend Bill Belichick was snubbed from the Class of 2026. Fiery reactions have been circling the internet, with calls ranging from banning certain voters to completely overhauling the selection system. An iconic coach with eight Super Bowl rings will miss the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, and people have plenty of reason to be upset.
What did former Pro Bowler TJ Houshmandzadeh have to say about the controversy?
Former Pro Bowler TJ Houshmandzadeh Demands Override on Bill Belichick Hall of Fame Snub
Belichick has been around the NFL almost as long as the Super Bowl era. He spent nearly half a century building one of the deepest coaching resumes in the sport’s history. Records, accolades, honors — the longtime coach’s reputation precedes him by a country mile (PFSN Offense Impact).
As such, former Cincinnati Bengals wideout Houshmandzadeh firmly believes the Hall of Fame selection committee’s omission of Belichick should be overwritten.
“You know what they need to do, straight up — ‘F’ what the voters did, he’s going in anyway,'” he said on ‘Speakeasy’ this week. “That’s what they need to do. They need to do this. I don’t care what you’re voting. Bill Belichick is going in. He’s going into the Hall of Fame this year.”
“They need to say ‘F the voters, [Bill Belichick] is getting in anyway”
– @housh84 mentions that the Hall of Fame executives need to make an executive decision and override Bill Belichick missing the HOF as the first-ballot
COME JOIN THE CONVO ➡️ https://t.co/f4H3dQB55c pic.twitter.com/RdUjInCZsv
— Speakeasy (@speakeasytlkshw) January 28, 2026
Snubbing a head coach who holds seven NFL records from the Hall is an unprecedented event in league history. The likes of George Halas, Tom Landry, and Chuck Noll all got in on their first try. Meanwhile, Belichick is more successful in the postseason than all of them.
“Executive decision,” Houshmandzadeh demanded. “So, whoever — they gotta make an executive decision. He’s gotta go in. [If] he doesn’t go in on the first ballot, the Hall of Fame loses everything that anybody thought it was. [Hall of Famers] are probably already saying this, ‘Y’all putting these dudes in here that don’t belong with me.’ Put [Belichick] in. Y’all voters, y’all messed this up — make an executive decision.”
Unfortunately for Belichick, never in the Hall’s history has a vote been reversed. Figures who got omitted never saw themselves make it in on the first try. Former Baltimore Ravens owner Art Modell was never inducted. Terrell Owens missed it in his first year of eligibility. Former league commissioner Paul Tagliabue waited years before being inducted as a contributor. Similarly, Chargers icon Don Coryell also waited a long time.
Whether this controversial situation will see a change in the voting system remains to be seen.
