In about a week, the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2026 will be revealed. However, the biggest news to come out of that class already was revealed on Tuesday afternoon. Per a report from ESPN, legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick will somehow not be part of the class in his first year of eligibility. The reason appears to be that some Hall of Fame voters believed Belichick deserved punishment for the several cheating allegations during his tenure with the Patriots, notably spygate and deflategate.
Obviously, this news has drawn a massive amount of criticism toward the Hall of Fame, with some alleging that they will never recover from such a massive blunder. It’s a rare moment in which nearly all of the internet seems to agree that this was a ridiculous mistake, which only makes this news even more confounding. How could at least 10 of 50 voters believe Belichick wasn’t worth of first-ballot Hall of Fame status when nearly the entire internet agrees?
That leads to today’s Question of the Day:
My answer: A little, but not much.
Personally, I don’t love the idea of comparing greatness. Greatness is greatness, and the gatekeeping of who deserves the extra special designation of Hall of Famer or first-ballot Hall of Famer is missing the point of this game. Everyone who plays it hold a special place in this game’s history, and because it’s more so a team sport than just about any other one means that even some of the lesser-known players can do amazing things. Think of guys like David Tyree, who will never be a Hall of Famer, but will always be synonymous with one of the most important plays in Super Bowl history.
I also think the Hall of Fame leads to unnecessary and sometimes disrespectful debates about the GOAT. We debate resumés of people who played in completely different eras, and try to downplay the accomplishments of others in order to raise up our guy. I think a lot about this Kobe Bryant tweet about the NBA GOAT whenever these conversations are brought up:
The Belichick development is just further proof that this gatekeeping of greatness is flawed, petty, and, ultimately, a waste of time.
That said, I do like the idea of honoring and preserving this game’s history. Having a literal, physical place where you can go and learn about this league’s greatest moments and best players is important to me. And I will admit those videos of players getting notified they’re entering the Hall of Fame get me everytime.
Still, the bickering over greatness is just off-putting to me, and I wish there were ways we could celebrate these players without making it feel so exclusive.
What are your thoughts about the Hall of Fame and the Belichick incident? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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