One of the biggest surprises over the last week was Bill Belichick not making it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his first ballot.
The six-time Super Bowl champion who is often considered one of the greatest coaches of all time did not receive the necessary 80% of the votes to make the Hall, falling just one vote short of a gold jacket according to reports. Patriots owner Robert Kraft also reportedly will not make the Hall of Fame class of 2026, which will officially be announced on Thursday.
One player very familiar with being snubbed by the Pro Football Hall of Fame is former star wide receiver Terrell Owens. Despite finishing his career a five-time first team All-Pro, a member of the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team and second all-time in receiving yards (he currently ranks third all-time), Owens infamously had to wait three years before he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
“It’s been tainted. It’s just plain dumb,” Owens told Sports Illustrated of the Hall of Fame. “The people at the top, whomever those writers are, they should be ashamed of themselves. Pretty sure I’m going to get a lot of flack about it. Robert Kraft doesn’t get in the first go around. Bill Belichick doesn’t go in on the first go around.”
Terrell Owens says Tom Brady should be worried about not making the HOF on the first ballot 😳 pic.twitter.com/CSn35uykwC
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) February 4, 2026
When asked if Tom Brady should be worried after Belichick and Kraft didn’t make it in, Owens replied, “Absolutely. He shouldn’t go in on the first round. He got suspended for cheating. You tell me. I don’t know if it’s a hot take.”
When ESPN initially reported Belichick didn’t make the Hall of Fame, they noted that Spygate and Deflategate came up during voting deliberations.
One voter that didn’t vote for Belichick have come out and explained that they were voting in favor of senior candidates they believe are deserving of the Hall and have been waiting to make it. The voting process is notably different for modern-era player candidates and coaches. Coaches, contributors and senior player candidates are all voted on in one category, with each committee member voting for no more than three of the five finalists. This does not excuse Belichick getting snubbed, but does help explain how he didn’t receive the necessary snubs.
More: Why the Pro Football Hall of Fame Voting Process Is Broken—and How to Fix It
Even though it it was unfathomable to think Belichick would not have made the Hall of Fame on his first ballot, it’s even harder to imagine that Brady, widely considered the greatest player in the history of the sport won’t make the Hall of Fame on his first ballot, regardless of the Deflategate controversy. It did happen to Belichick, but when Brady is first eligible for the Hall of Fame, he will be going up against players who primarily competed in his era and have not been waiting decades to make it to Canton. Brady is the definition of a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and it’s difficult to see the Hall making the same mistake twice once Brady is eligible.
More NFL on Sports Illustrated
- Report: Seahawks Safety Nick Emmanwori Injured at Practice Prior to Super Bowl LX
- Tom Brady’s Old Teammates Called Him Out for Not Siding With Patriots in Super Bowl
- Kyren Williams: Matthew Stafford is For Sure the MVP
- Eagles OL Coach Jeff Stoutland, Two-Time Super Bowl Champion, Announces Departure
- CeeDee Lamb Didn’t Like Micah Parsons Recruiting George Pickens to Packers in Front of Him
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Terrell Owens Thinks Tom Brady Should Be Worried After Bill Belichick’s HOF Snub.
