Tom Brady condemns Bill Belichick’s Hall of Fame snub: ‘Welcome to the world of voting’

Bill Belichick will never be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and count Tom Brady among those who are disappointed by the decision.

After long being considered a first-ballot Hall of Famer as the most accomplished head coach in NFL history, the Pro Football Hall of Fame determined otherwise on Bill Belichick’s candidacy. Belichick failed to receive the 40 of 50 votes needed for induction, meaning that despite six Super Bowls as a head coach and two more as a defensive coordinator, the accolade of first-ballot Hall of Famer will never be on his resume.

Spygate, Deflategate, his gruff relationship with the media and record without Tom Brady have all been listed as reasons for the snub. But Wednesday morning, Brady joined Brock Huard and Mike Salk on their Seattle Sports radio show and claimed if Belichick isn’t a first-ballot Hall of Famer, then no one is.

“I don’t understand it …. if he’s not a first-ballot Hall of Famer there’s really no coach that should ever be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.”@TomBrady on Bill Belichick’s HOF snub w/ @BrockHuard & @TheMikeSalk on Seattle Sports. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/h2ZSpHhXmq

— Seattle Sports (@SeattleSports) January 28, 2026

“I don’t understand it,” Brady said. “I was with him every day, if he’s not a first-ballot Hall of Famer there’s really no coach that should ever be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Which is completely ridiculous because people deserve it. He’s incredible, there’s no coach I’d rather play for. If I’m picking one coach to go out there to win a Super Bowl, give me one season, I’m taking Bill Belichick. That’s enough said.

“When it comes down to votes and popularity and all that, welcome to the world of voting, you may as well go try out for the Oscars or whatever and get a big panel to tell you if you’re good or not,” Brady continued. “It’s the way it works. He’s gonna get in the Hall-of-Fame. In the end, I’m not worried about that, a lot of times in life, things don’t happen exactly how you want or on your timeline, but we’ll all be there to celebrate him when it does happen.”

Brady has to be wondering what Belichick’s snub might be for his own candidacy a couple of years from now. If Spygate was enough to keep Belichick out of Canton, will Deflategate do the same for Brady? The difference, however, is Brady has not alienated and made enemies with much of the NFL the way Belichick has in recent years. Although, this surprising snub seems to be luring more people back onto Belichick’s side.

Belichick might not be a Hall of Famer today, but for the first time in his career, he’s a sympathetic figure. Overnight, Belichick went from being an easy target at North Carolina and someone who can’t seem to get another NFL coaching job, to a person who most of the world is rushing to defend.

Maybe the Pro Football Hall of Fame was looking to put a blemish on Belichick’s legacy during his first year of eligibility. But snubbing Belichick seems to be doing more harm to the Hall of Fame than it is to the most accomplished head coach in NFL history.