Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Mike Sando
@SandoNFL
·
7h
I'm a HOF voter who saw Belichick as slam-dunk. I don't know anything about voting results, but if this is true, and we'll find out officially next week, the question is, how could this happen?

Before I list possibilities, understand this:

Belichick, Kraft, Craig, Anderson & Greenwood are competing for 1-3 spots, separate from the 15 modern-era finalists

50 voters each pick 3 of the 5

Between 1-3 make it (40+ votes needed for anyone besides top vote getter to make it)

So it's a ZERO-SUM game, huge change made in '25: 250 total votes to go around for five candidates with a high bar for clearance

Now we count the potential ways Belichick might get fewer than 40 votes even when 40+ on committee think he's a HOFer...

•Let's say 4-5 voters who were strong advocates for specific senior players figured Belichick was going to make it regardless, so they funneled votes to competing candidates in hopes of boosting them over the 40-vote threshold;

•Let's say a few voters prioritized senior players on the thinking that Belichick will be back in the room next year, while the players on the ballot this year might disappear into the senior pool forever

•Let's say a few voters found Spygate/cheating disqualifying

•Let's say a few voters protested new rules making coaches eligible one year after retiring instead of five

Whatever the case, I would see this as a repudiation of the new voting rules implemented for 2025, not of Belichick or any candidate not making it.

There will be changes to the process, I predict