Why Bill Belichick was Denied the Hall Of Fame

Football Stadium in Toilet Bowl Early in my career, while working as an entry-level Mechanical Engineer performing preliminary designs for gas turbine engine axial compressors, one of my experience mentors taught me this important rule:

“One hundred ‘Attaboys!” are equivalent to one ‘Oh sh1t!’ “.

And it appears Bill Belichick, the legendary and mostly expressionless former Head Coach of the National Football League’s New England Patriots, may have learned this lesson the hard way (assuming he hadn’t learned it already).

Let’s tally up the “Attaboys!”

Bill Belicick’s record during his 24 years with the New England Patriots is a testimony to motivation, skill, dedication, confidence, and maybe a bit of luck and skill:

…but here’s that one “Oh Sh1t!”

Belicick’s endorsement of then-candidate Donald J. Trump, given to Trump the day before the 2016 Election & meant to be a private communication:

NINE CONFERENCE TITLES (most in the Superbowl Era)
MOST SUPER BOWL APPEARANCES AS A HEAD COACH OR ASSISTANT
SIX SUPERBOWL TITLES (along with George Halas and Curly Lambeau)
MOST POSTSEASON GAMES AS A HEAD COACH
13 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME APPEARANCES
MOST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES AS A HEAD COACH
MOST POSTSEASON WINS
MOST PLAYOFF WINS BY AN NFL HEAD COACH
3rd BEST POSTSEASON RECORD IN NFL HISTORY (minimum 10 games)
3rd HIGHEST NUMBER OF POSTSEASON BERTHS AS AN NFL HEAD COACH
MOST DIVISION TITLES IN NFL HISTORY
MOST CONSECUTIVE DIVISION TITLES
HIGHEST WINNING PERCENTAGE SINCE 2001
3-TIME COACH OF THE YEAR (2003, 2007, 2010)
3rd COACH WITH 100 OR MORE WINS THAN LOSSES (along with George Halas and Don Shula)
500 OR MORE POINTS SCORED FOR 3 STRAIGHT SEASONS
MOST CONSECUTIVE SEASONS WITH A WINNING RECORD
MOST CONSECUTIVE 10-WIN SEASONS

“Congratulations on a tremendous campaign. You have dealt with an unbelievable slanted and negative media, and have come out beautifully – beautifully. You’ve proved to be the ultimate competitor and fighter. Your leadership is amazing. I have always had tremendous respect for you, but the toughness and perseverance you have displayed over the past year is remarkable. Hopefully tomorrow’s election results will give the opportunity to make America great again. Best wishes for great results tomorrow.”

(Also, Belichick keeping a “Make America Great Again” cap in his locker at Gillette Stadium probably only added more manure to the pile.)

(Bill Belichick says 'What the heck?!?')

Frankly, it wouldn’t surprise me if Bill Belichick’s support of and friendship with Donald J. Trump was the unspoken reason why the most successful coach in modern football history wasn’t voted into the Football Hall of Fame during their first year of eligibility. After all, consider what happened to Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling, an outspoken Conservative and Trump supporter who never made to Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame despite being a 6-time All Star and winning three World Series Championships (Arizona Diamondback in 2001, and the Boston Red Sox in 2004 & 2007).

Of course, there could be another reason for his being snubbed, such as his consistently expressionless demeanor, the “Spygate” Scandal (where it was later revealed that the Patriots’ accuser, the New York Jets, were doing the same thing, and so were the Dallas Cowboys), the “Deflategate” Scandal (easily explained away by simply applying the Perfect Gas Law to a football), his dating a woman 49 years younger than he, or maybe even his dismal record at

On the bright side, an NFL player, coach, or owner can be nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame every year, so the 73-year old Belichick may still be nominated next year… or the year after… or, if the Pro Football Hall of Fame really wants to punish Bill, the year after he shuffles off this Mortal Coil.

Thanks for Reading!