Bill Belichick is among a dozen candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2026 class
Will Bill Belichick make it to Canton next August? The former Patriots coach just moved one step closer in the selection process.
Former Patriots coach Bill Belichick is among 12 candidates in the coach category being considered for the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class, the organization announced in a press release Tuesday.
The list was previously at 15 names before the voting committee made three cuts. There will be another vote later this month, after which nine semifinalists will be announced. Eventually, one finalist will be picked from the coach category to join the 2026 class.
The other 11 coaches up for consideration are: Bill Arnsparger, Tom Coughlin, Alex Gibbs, Mike Holmgren, Chuck Knox, Buddy Parker, Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer, George Seifert, Mike Shanahan, and Clark Shaughnessy.
Belichick has the most wins and Super Bowl titles out of all the coaches on this year’s list. He is the record-holder for most Super Bowl wins as a head coach with six. He is third on the all-time regular-season wins list with 302, trailing only Don Shula and George Halas, who were both Hall-of-Famers.
Belichick also won a pair of Super Bowls as a defensive coordinator under Bill Parcells with the New York Giants. Belichick spent 24 of his 48 years in the NFL as head coach of the Patriots.
He was fired in 2023 after posting a 4-13 record in his final season. Unable to land an NFL coaching job in 2024, Belichick spent time pursing media opportunities before becoming head coach at the University of North Carolina.
Belichick added general manager duties to his plate after establishing success in New England. He led the Patriots to a two-decade long run as one of the winningest dynasties in NFL history.
Retirement from coaching pro football is part of the requirements for Hall of Fame eligibility. Belichick hasn’t announced his retirement from the NFL, but he has been out of the league for more than a year. He’s still coaching, just at a different level. It’s unclear whether Belichick will return to the NFL. North Carolina is off to a 2-4 start in his first season running the program.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026, which will have between four and eight members from various categories, will be enshrined next August in Canton, Ohio.
The candidates for modern-era players, seniors, and contributors will be announced later this week.
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