ESPN identifies one Hall of Famer who pushed for Patriots’ Bill Belichick to ‘wait a year’ on ballot originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The NFL world is still reacting to the news that former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick won’t be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
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Bill received only 40 of the 50 votes needed to be a first-ballot selection, and we have seen some strong reactions to the news.
Many want those who didn’t vote for Belichick to be named, and it appears we might have one, thanks to the ESPN report that stated Bill wouldn’t be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Former NFL general manager Bill Polian.
«A voter who spoke on condition of anonymity said that Polian, an ardent Kraft supporter and former general manager of the Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts — a chief Patriots rival during their dynasty — told some voters he believed Belichick should «wait a year» before induction as penance for Spygate, the 2007 cheating scandal that cost the team a first-round draft pick,» the ESPN report by Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham said.
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MORE:Former Patriots’ HC Bill Belichick responds strongly to Hall of Fame snub
Does Belichick deserve to be first-ballot?
A quick scan across social media tells you all you need to know. Not that we needed it.
The blowback has been fierce, with the six-time Super Bowl champion head coach now forced to wait at least a year before getting the chance to go into the Hall in Canton.
It also brings up an interesting question. Will players during that era, who are Hall of Fame-bound like Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, have to wait a year as well?
This feels like a huge day in the NFL world, and I bet it isn’t stopping anytime soon.
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