Belichick Named Hall of Fame Finalist Again After Fiery Exchange

Bill Belichick again is among five coaching candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Tom Coughlin, Mike Holmgren, Dan Reeves and Mike Shanahan join Belichick in the Coach category for possible election into the Hall's Class of 2027.

The list was announced Thursday by the Canton, Ohio-based Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Members of the Hall's coaching subcommittee made their selections from an original field of 14 nominees.

The subcommittee will select one candidate to be considered when the Hall's selection committee determines a new class of enshrinees in early 2027.

All five reached this stage last year.

Belichick advanced in the process last year but the six-time Super Bowl champion head coach was not elected in his first year of eligibility.

Belichick's snub was criticized intensely around the NFL.

"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," Tom Brady said.

Belichick and Brady won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots.

Belichick also won two as a defensive assistant coach with the New York Giants.

Belichick's career included a sign-stealing scandal dubbed "Spygate" in the 2007 season.

He was fined $500,000 after the team was caught filming defensive signals from the New York Jets during a game.

Belichick's final season in New England was 2023.

He's in his second season coaching in college at North Carolina.

Coughlin won two Super Bowls with the Giants, beating Belichick, Brady and the Patriots both times.

He was 182-157 in 20 seasons with the Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Coughlin also won a title with Giants as an assistant coach.

Holmgren led the Green Bay Packers to one Super Bowl title and was 174-122, including postseason, in 17 seasons with the Packers and Seattle Seahawks.

He also won two Super Bowls as an assistant with the San Francisco 49ers.

Reeves was 201-174-2 in 23 seasons with the Denver Broncos, Giants and Atlanta Falcons.

He led the Broncos to the Super Bowl three times and the Falcons once, going 0-4.

Reeves won a title as an assistant with the Dallas Cowboys.

Shanahan won back-to-back Super Bowls with Denver and was 178-144 in 20 seasons with the Broncos and Washington Redskins.

He also won a title with the 49ers as an assistant coach.

On Wednesday, the Hall of Fame announced the five contributors who have advanced in the process: Ralph Hay, Robert Kraft, Virginia McCaskey, Doug Williams and another contributor.

The Hall of Fame's coaching subcommittee will now deliberate on which single coach to send forward.

The selection committee will then vote on the final class in early 2027.

Belichick's path to Canton remains uncertain despite his unprecedented resume.

The process requires a candidate to receive 80 percent of the vote from the selection committee.

Last year, the committee did not elect any coach, leaving the door open for this year's finalists.

Belichick's candidacy has been complicated by off-field controversies.

Spygate remains a point of discussion among voters.

Some voters have publicly questioned whether the scandal should affect his Hall of Fame eligibility.

Others argue that his on-field accomplishments are unmatched.

Belichick's move to college football has also drawn attention.

He took over the North Carolina program in 2024 and is now in his second season.

The Tar Heels' next four games will define Belichick's Year 2, according to reports.