Count Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens among those who believe former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick and current team owner Robert Kraft should have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Owens opined Belichick and Kraft had been ‘snubbed’ amid reports that neither was chosen for enshrinement as part of the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026.
‘Obviously, it’s something personal about why guys aren’t getting in when they’re supposed to be,’ Owens told USA TODAY Sports in an interview ahead of Super Bowl 60.
Owens seemed particularly bothered by Belichick’s non-inclusion. He brought up the coach’s eight career Super Bowl wins – six with the New England Patriots and two as an assistant with the New York Giants – to showcase the greatness of the legendary coach.
That’s why Owens believes ‘personal feelings’ got in the way of Belichick’s selection, comparing it to his own experience as a third-ballot Hall of Famer.
‘Whether you like the guy or not, it’s not about likeability. It’s not a popularity contest. It’s not the Pro Bowl,’ Owens lamented. ‘This is something very iconic, prestigious. This is something a lot of people aspire to have [as] part of their accomplishments.’
Owens also believes the first-ballot omission of Belichick, as well as Kraft’s most recent failure to earn enshrinement, will create an interesting dynamic when Tom Brady becomes eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot.
‘You can’t put Tom Brady in first ballot if you don’t put those two in first ballot,’ Owens said, referencing Belichick and Kraft. ‘Because there’s no Tom Brady without Bill Belichick. There’s no Tom Brady without Robert Kraft. Those guys obviously put him on the map. Those things go hand-in-hand.’
Brady – a seven-time Super Bowl winner and the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns – won’t be eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame until 2028.
It will be interesting to see if the Pro Football Hall of Fame amends its voting process at all before then, after the selection committee came under heat for Belichick’s reported omission.