Bill Belichick Advances Again as Pro Football Hall of Fame Finalist After First-Ballot Snub

American football coach Bill Belichick has advanced again in the process to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was among five coaching finalists announced on Thursday for the Class of 2027, one year after he did not make the cut on his first ballot.

Joining Belichick in the final five are former coaches Tom Coughlin, Dan Reeves, Mike Holmgren and Mike Shanahan, selected from a group of 14 coaches who were considered. The coaching subcommittee will meet on November 17 to pick one of the five to be presented to the voting committee for the 2027 class.

Belichick has the second-most wins by a head coach of all time, and some believe he is the greatest coach to ever work on an NFL sideline. That is why he was widely expected to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Belichick won six Super Bowls as head coach of the New England Patriots, after winning two earlier with the New York Giants as their defensive coordinator. Per ESPN, he was puzzled and disappointed he was not a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and told an associate, Six Super Bowls isn't enough?

After the snub, many of his former players spoke out. Former player Brian Urlacher criticized the Hall of Fame voters, arguing the decision sets a precedent that there may never be a first-ballot coach in the Hall of Fame.

After Belichick was snubbed, the Hall of Fame overhauled its selection process, cutting the voting committee from 50 to 28, ending formal presentations and merging the senior category with the modern era. The Hall says the changes are intended to improve its selection process.

Hall of Fame president Jim Porter said in September that the Hall continually reviews its bylaws to ensure the selection process reflects the highest standards of integrity and the magnitude of election, and that there is no more important task for the Hall than the election of each new class.

Belichick is currently in his second season as head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, who sit at 4-4 on the year.