Just days before Super Bowl LX, multiple league sources say New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft will not be included in the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026.
Kraft, 84, did not get the 40 votes needed from the 50-person selection committee, ending his first time as a Hall of Fame finalist in disappointment and without a chance to join legendary figures in the NFL Hall of Fame.
Patriots Dynasty Gets Zero Love as Robert Kraft Falls Short in Hall of Fame Vote
This follows last week’s surprising rejection of coach Bill Belichick, leaving both key figures of the Patriots dynasty out for now. Which begs the question, who will get credit for the Patriots’ dynasty? Right now, that answer is: no one.
As the Patriots get ready to play the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday for a record-breaking Super Bowl title, neither of the two people most responsible for the team’s success will be honored this year.
Kraft’s record is impressive. Since he bought the Patriots in 1994 for a then-record $172 million, the team has had the most dominant run in modern NFL history. Under his ownership, the Patriots have won 374 games, more than any other team in that time. In addition, Kraft has led the team to unparalleled success in the 2000s and is one of the winningest sports franchises in that time.
Kraft has led the team to 11 Super Bowl appearances, the most for any owner. The Patriots have won six championships, earned 20 division titles in 32 seasons, and made 23 playoff appearances.
“They are spectacular,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Monday night when asked about both Kraft and Belichick. “They have contributed so much to this game, and I believe they will be Hall of Famers.”
The rejections of both Kraft and Belichick have raised several questions about the Hall of Fame’s voting process, especially the new system introduced in 2025. Now, contributors, coaches, and senior players are grouped together, with five finalists. Voters pick three, and anyone with at least 40 votes is inducted. If no one gets 40 votes, the top vote-getter moves forward automatically. Obviously, neither Belichick nor Kraft reached the 40-vote threshold.
Kraft was the contributor finalist, and Belichick was the coaches’ finalist. The three senior player finalists were Roger Craig, Ken Anderson, and L.C. Greenwood. Early reports suggest that one former player received enough votes to win the category’s only spot, but the Hall of Fame will announce the official class on Thursday night during NFL Honors in San Francisco.
Kraft addressed the situation last week following news of Belichick’s snub, releasing a statement that praised his former coach as “the greatest coach of all time” who “unequivocally deserves to be a unanimous first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer.”
This is Kraft’s 14th year of Hall of Fame eligibility since his first nomination in 2013. Last year, he reached the semifinals but lost to Ralph Hay, one of the NFL’s founders. This year was his first time as a finalist.
The Hall of Fame already has several owners whose records are not as strong as Kraft’s, such as Jerry Jones, Pat Bowlen, Eddie DeBartolo Jr., Ralph Wilson, and Dan Rooney. This makes Tuesday’s decision even more puzzling.
