Although he wasn’t on the sidelines this season for any NFL team, Bill Belichick is still considered either the greatest or one of the greatest head coaches in NFL history.
That’s why it only makes sense that he finally gets recognized as such. This time, officially and forever.
Bill Belichick Headlines Pro Football Hall of Fame Class Finalists List
According to a report by ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the legendary head coach is one of five finalists to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2026, alongside — among others — New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
“Five individuals have reached the finalist stage across three categories for possible election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026: Robert Kraft (Contributor), Bill Belichick( Coach), and Ken Anderson, Roger Craig, and L.C. Greenwood (Seniors),” Schefter wrote on X.
Ironically, Kraft was also partially responsible for the fact that Belichick failed to land another job in the NFL.
Five individuals have reached the finalist stage across three categories for possible election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026: Robert Kraft (Contributor), Bill Belichick (Coach), and Ken Anderson, Roger Craig and L.C. Greenwood (Seniors). pic.twitter.com/l3GsWAqghM
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 3, 2025
Belichick was reportedly leading the race to be the next head coach of the Atlanta Falcons when Kraft reached out to Falcons owner Arthur Blank to warn him about him. He was also the one who fired him from the Patriots after two decades of dominance.
The defensive-minded specialist took his talents to Chapel Hill to try to turn the UNC Tar Heels, a school historically known for its basketball program, into a football powerhouse.
So far, however, that hasn’t been the case. The Tar Heels went 4-8 in his first campaign at the helm, a season marred by off-the-field storylines surrounding his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, and reports that Belichick did not allow Patriots scouts to attend practices and scout UNC players.
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Even so, Coach Belichick’s résumé as a football mastermind is almost flawless. He won six Super Bowl rings as a head coach and two more as an assistant coach.
He was named NFL Coach of the Year three times, and holds the records for the most playoff wins as a head coach (31), the most playoff appearances as a head coach (19, tied), and the most divisional championships as a head coach (17). He was also named PFWA Executive of the Year in 2021.
Given his age and recent history, he may never have the opportunity to surpass the legendary Don Shula as the winningest head coach in NFL history. Still, he has certainly earned his spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
