What better stage than the Super Bowl to spotlight a debate that continues to divide the football world?
As millions tuned in for the league’s biggest night, the conversation briefly drifted from the field to Bill Belichick and his stunning omission from the Pro Football Hall of Fame, despite his résumé as a six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach.
During the broadcast, NBC commentators Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth acknowledged the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 as its members were recognized on the field before kickoff.
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Tirico set the scene by saying: “There it is, the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2026…. What a class of Hall of Famers we’ll see next summer in Canton, Ohio.”
What followed drew immediate attention. Collinsworth replied, “What a class that didn’t get in either,” a line widely interpreted as a pointed reference to Belichick‘s absence.
Though brief, the remark reignited debate about how one of the most accomplished coaches in NFL history could be left waiting.
Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 members
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 was officially announced Thursday night during the NFL Honors ceremony in San Francisco.
Headlining the group is quarterback Drew Brees, one of only two passers to eclipse 80,000 career passing yards, and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, whose production trails only Jerry Rice in league history.
Joining them are linebacker Luke Kuechly, kicker Adam Vinatieri, and senior finalist running back Roger Craig.
Brees, who played for the San Diego Chargers and later the New Orleans Saints, was honored for a career defined by precision and durability. Despite being considered undersized, he retired second all-time in passing yards (80,358), touchdowns (571), and completions (7,142).
He led the Saints to their only Super Bowl title in the 2009 season and earned 13 Pro Bowl selections.
Craig, a key piece of the San Francisco 49ers dynasty under coach Bill Walsh, was a transformational running back.
He became the first player in NFL history to record 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season, accomplishing the feat in 1985 while helping the 49ers win three Super Bowl titles.
Fitzgerald, drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in 2004, built a 17-year career on consistency and elite hands, finishing with 1,431 receptions and 17,492 receiving yards. His drop total-just 35 across nearly two decades-remains one of the most remarkable statistics in league history.
On defense, Kuechly anchored the Carolina Panthers with sideline-to-sideline dominance, earning seven Pro Bowl selections and the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year award.
Meanwhile, Vinatieri, best known for his clutch kicks with the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts, retired as the NFL‘s all-time leading scorer and a central figure in multiple championship runs.
No room for Patriots duo
Notably absent from the class was Belichick, the finalist from the coaches’ subcommittee, as well as New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who represented the contributors’ category.
The final vote was conducted by the Hall’s board of selectors in a virtual meeting, with enshrinement scheduled for August 8 in Canton, Ohio.
Yet for many fans and analysts, the night’s most lasting takeaway was not who made the class, but who didn’t.
Collinsworth‘s understated comment ensured that Belichick‘s omission remained front and center, even on football’s grandest stage.
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