Robert Kraft, Too?

 By John Turney 

Media reports contend Robert Kraft will join Bill Belichick on the sidelines when the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 is announced Thursday at the NFL Honors show. And the Patriots are not pleased. The fans, the coaches, the organization, you know, everyone.

With the Patriots in the Super Bowl this year, it is a letdown for Pats Nation to say the least.

Patriots Coach Mike Vrabel commenting on the Kraft "snub"

We can probably assume Kraft and Belichick, to some extent, split the "Patriots" vote, meaning that given the zero-sum voting in the new process, caused some voters to pick either Kraft or Belichick rather than both. But there was some sentiment (a lot?) that there should be more accountability for the alleged cheating that the club was punished for over the years.

A kind of double jeopardy in a way. Regardless, if the media reports are to be believed, both are out of the running. 

Speaking to some voters, we've found defensiveness for those who voted against, "How many games did Belichick win that was a result of cheating?" To the "We deserve the heat we are getting. The committee made a mistake and we are reaping the wrath."

Robert Kraft (right) at Patriots' 2026 Media Night

Yes, to some, the Hall is burning. And that is my interest in this. The damage to the institution. A coach or owner getting refused is not a huge deal to us, unless it is an icon, and in our view, Belichick is exactly that. 

We simply care about the Hall, it's specialness, it's reputation, the thing that it is. It's not about "your" guys getting it. It's about the best of the best and anything that gets away from that hurts the Hall.

As not what the Hall can do for you but what you can do for the Hall. In this case, avoiding this controversy would have been better. At least in our view.

Does Being First-ballot Hall-of-Famer Matter?

 By John Turney  

Does Being a First-Ballot Hall of Famer Matter?

Short Answer: Yes. But there is nuance.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame keeps its process straightforward: once a player is inducted, the distinction ends there. No official categories divide enshrinees—no tiers, no asterisks for ballot timing, no plaques noting whether someone entered on the first try or after multiple ballots. The bronze bust is the same, the gold jacket fits identically, and the legacy stands on the same Canton pedestal regardless of how many years it took to get the votes. 

But that is not what is meant when the term is used. It's not the Hall itself using it, officially anyway. It's the fans, historians, players, coaches and media doing it.

It becomes a shorthand for overwhelming consensus: the player was so dominant, so undeniable, that the selectors couldn't delay. There's an extra layer of prestige, an unofficial "gold star" that elevates the narrative—think Peyton Manning, Reggie White, Johnny Unitas, Don Shula and on and on.. 

But here is the nuance—So while nothing is official, the Hall itself contributes to this subtly by tracking eligibility years in records, listing first-year finalists in announcements, and highlighting debut successes in brochures, press materials and their website. They don't label it a formal distinction, but by documenting ballot timing and spotlighting those who clear the bar immediately, they feed the lore without endorsing tiers.

Here is more nuance—There can be mistakes in the minds of the same folks who use the term as a distinction.

The Hall caps modern-era slots at five per year (give or take seniors or contributors). That's a hard limit in a sport with decades of accumulated talent. Back in the day, there was a minimum of four and a maximum of seven including seniors, and even earlier, there was a three-man minimum for a Hall class.

So sometimes, clear Hall-of-Famers can get pushed back a ballot or two—not for lack of merit, but because the queue is deep, voters have preferences, positional logjams form, or the "extra cachet" just isn't quite overwhelming enough in a given year. Timing plays a role; voter quirks play a role; ballot crunch plays a role. It doesn't diminish the career.

Look at the history: Joe Schmidt, one of the greatest middle linebackers ever, wasn't first-ballot. Night Train Lane, a shutdown corner without peer in his era, waited. Alan Page, dominant force and MVP, didn't sail in immediately. Fran Tarkenton is another example. It seems the Vikings' players were punished for losing four Super Bowls rather than rewarded for getting there.

On the flip side, Dan Fouts, Jim Kelly, Steve Young, Troy Aikman and Warren Moon got the debut call—great quarterbacks with strong cases, but are they demonstrably superior to peers who waited a year or two, who might not have gotten a "quarterback bump" if you catch our drift? The evidence doesn't support that kind of gap. We can think of others who don't seem to meet mythical first-ballot criteria as well.  

This detracts from the "cachet," if you will. 

First-ballot entry is a nice feather—evidence of consensus, a data point showing the player cleared the bar with room to spare—but it's not the dividing line between elite and merely Hall-worthy. Some who sneak in early might not stack up as dominantly as legends who grind through the process. 

So yes, colloquially it matters. Emotionally, narratively—it carries weight. Bragging rights usually do. 

For the recent snub, Bill Belichick, it clearly matters to those who follow the game and to the man himself. Sources close to him told ESPN he was "puzzled" and "disappointed," even asking one associate something like, "Six Super Bowls isn't enough?" 

Justified or not, and reasonable people can disagree, Belichick's legacy will always lack the checked box of "first-ballot," and when he is written about from now on, given word count, that will usually be part of the narrative. 

It's just the way it is.

The Belichick Snub: A Hall of Fame 'Farce' Fueled by 'Pettiness' and a Cry for Reform

 By John Turney 

In the annals of pro football history, few figures cast a shadow as imposing as Bill Belichick. Papa Bear? Curly? Sir Vince? The Don?

Bill B., with eight Super Bowl rings—six as head coach of the New England Patriots and two as defensive coordinator for the New York Giants—Belichick redefined NFL dominance over three decades. His 333 career wins (including playoffs) place him second only to Don Shula, and his innovative schemes, liked unequalled football knowledge—offense, defense, special teams, player development and, well, anything else you can name made him, in the eyes of most, the greatest NFL coach of all time.

Yet, in a democratic decision that has rocked the football world, Belichick was denied first-ballot induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the Class of 2026, falling short of the required 40 votes from a 50-person panel. This snub, reported on January 27, 2026, has ignited a firestorm of outrage, accusations of personal vendettas, and demands for sweeping changes to the Hall's opaque voting process.

Belichick's exclusion is unprecedented for a coach of his caliber. Names like Vince Lombardi, Don Shula, Tom Landry and Chuck Noll—sailed into Canton on their first try. Belichick, by contrast, orchestrated the longest sustained dynasty in NFL history, guiding the Patriots to nine Super Bowl appearances and 17 division titles in 19 seasons from 2001 to 2019. His teams boasted a .652 winning percentage, including a .705 clip in playoffs. But enough of his credentials. Just assume they are the best, if not among the top few of all-time by any fair assessment.

Yesterday, the news broke via ESPN, citing sources close to the process, that Belichick received a call from the Hall on January 23 informing him of the shortfall. Usually, people want the call from the Hall to be good news, as in, "Congratulations."

Reactions poured in immediately, with the NFL community expressing disbelief and fury. Hall of Fame coach Jimmy Johnson, no stranger to rivalry with Belichick, blasted the decision on social media: "How in the hell does Bill Belichick not get in? 6 Super Bowl wins, 3 in 4 years, 3 more over the next decade plus. The standard for coaches should be championships! This is a joke!!!" 

Johnson's outrage echoed across platforms, with ESPN's Dan Graziano calling it "embarrassing" for the league.

On X (formerly Twitter), the backlash was swift and visceral. User @FTFonFS1 captured the sentiment in a video post: "@DannyParkins: 'It’s ridiculous.' @GregJennings: 'What are we doing?' @willcolon66: 'It’s embarrassing for the NFL.'" 

Another poster, @TheVirginiaGen1, decried the pettiness: "Validates my long running disdain for the NFL. This is petty, beta-male drama to do what? Tarnish his eight rings...pygmies." @DSCUSN94 went further, warning that the Hall is "embarks on the road to irrelevance just like @TheAcademy before them, based on some unwritten code/ideology." 

Even non-football icons weighed in; LeBron James tweeted his shock, while Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes called it "insane," underscoring Belichick's impact on the game.

At the heart of the controversy lies the alleged role of Bill Polian, the Hall of Fame general manager inducted in 2015 for his work with the Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, and Indianapolis Colts. Sources told ESPN that Polian, one of a handful of Hall of Famers on the voting panel, actively lobbied against Belichick, advocating for a "one-year penance" tied to the 2007 Spygate scandal. 

In Spygate, the Patriots were caught filming Jets' signals, resulting in fines and lost draft picks—penalties Belichick and the team served long ago. Polian's purported grudge stems from his time with the Colts, where Belichick's Patriots dominated, including in the infamous Deflategate era. Reports suggest Polian swayed voters by framing Belichick's scandals as integrity issues that warranted a delay.

Polian, however, vehemently denies the accusations. In a phone interview with Sports Illustrated, he stated: "I did not influence the vote against Belichick. I voted for him myself." But later, he was "95% sure" that he did and that he "might" have voted for L.C. Greenwood as well, but could not remember for sure. 

He acknowledged hearing "voters float the idea" of a penance but insisted he didn't push it. Despite his denial, the narrative has fueled fan fury. On The Spun, readers called for Polian's removal from the Hall, with one commenter noting: "Reports claim Bill Polian urged voters to delay Belichick's induction due to past scandals. Polian denies accusations; his alleged involvement has fans demanding he be kicked out." 

This angle highlights deeper rifts: Polian's Colts lost to Belichick's Patriots in pivotal games, including the 2006 AFC Championship, breeding resentment that now appears to spill into Hall deliberations. The snub has amplified calls for reform in the Hall's voting system, long criticized for its secrecy and potential biases. 

The 50-member panel—mostly media members, with a few Hall of Famers like Polian—operates behind closed doors, with no public accountability for individual votes. One voter, speaking anonymously to Bleacher Report, explained the process's flaws: "It's convoluted, and personal feelings creep in." 

Fans and analysts alike are demanding transparency, such as public voting records or a more diverse panel including former players, coaches, and analytics experts to counter media grudges. On Reddit's r/Patriots, users echoed this: "Belichick was rejected by a Hall panel... This is a preposterous farce. Time to diversify the voters." 

ESPN's Dan Wetzel went nuclear: "If Belichick isn't first ballot, just shut the Hall down." The Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy labeled it "petty, embarrassing, unprecedented, stupid, and preposterous." Even neutral observers, like Yahoo Sports, noted the ripple effects: "Belichick's snub is bad news for other nominees," as it sets a precedent for punishing perceived flaws over achievements.

Perhaps. Perhaps not. It may further that notion, but the precedent was set with cases like Terrell Owens when he was punished for being a great player but a bad teammate. 

He'll enter eventually, likely in 2027, but damage is done. As Bob Costas once said to us, there is "extra cachet" to being a first-ballot Hall of Famer in any sport. That is lost forever.

As fans rally for "more varied voices" in voting—perhaps including active coaches or fan input—the Pro Football Hall of Fame faces a reckoning. 

Will it evolve, or risk becoming a relic of grudges past? Does the outrage suggest change is due? That remains to be seen but in following this process for decades, this is the biggest reaction we've seen. Perhaps only Owens' snub ranks higher. But next week, at Super Bowl week, when voters tour Radio Row, where stations and podcasts set up to broadcast from the Media Center in Santa Clara, as they always do, there will be some 'splainin' to do.

TUESDAY TIDBITS: "Those Decisions Didn't Single-handedly Decide the Game"

By TJ Troup 

The title of today's narrative is a quote from Bill Barnwell at ESPN.com. He was detailing his thoughts on the Rams @ Seahawks game. Enjoy his column more than anyone online. Years ago, Paul Lionel Zimmerman put his thoughts to paper on the best assistant coaches in history. While the list is very impressive; really believe there is someone missing who really deserves to be listed as one of the best assistant coaches of all-time, Phil Bengston! 

Phil Bengston

After his playing career at Minnesota, he began as so many did as a college coach. The San Francisco 49ers became contenders late in 1951 and Buck Shaw hired Bengston in '52. The three assistant coaches he worked with the most were Lawson, Duncan, and Hickey. Film study of the strategic alignments he used from 1952 through 1958 varied based upon his personnel and the subtle changes throughout the league on how defense was to be played during this era. 

When I wrote "The Birth of Football's Modern 4-3 Defense," his name figures prominently, yet could and should have written more about him. Over the years reached out to a handful of former players and coaches and one of the most insightful letters came from the defensive captain of the '56 Niners Rex Berry. 

While he did not share a lot of stories on Coach Bengston; he sure shared his respect for this coach, and the coverages used to augment the defensive fronts. Very few 49ers were with Bengston from '52 through '58; yet the main cog in the defense was future Hall of Fame defensive tackle Leo Nomellini. A true warrior that every coach could build his defense around. 

Leo Nomellini, Charlie Powell and Phil Bengston

The 1954 49ers faded down the stretch, yet the rookie right defensive end (team defensive MVP) Jackson Brumfield exploded on the NFL horizon as he probably led the league in sacks. In the chapter on the '57 Niners the game of significance is the defeat of NYG in Yankee Stadium to keep San Francisco alive in the West. 

The creative "red dog" package Bengston used that day overmatched the Giants offense and their offensive coordinator, Vince Lombardi. When Coach Albert tired of coaching and stepped down after '58, Bengston was thought to be a viable candidate to become head coach, but the Morabito brothers chose (foolishly) to hire Red Hickey. 

Vince Lombardi responded quickly to the news and convinced Bengston to return to the Midwest and help him revive the woeful Packers. Not only did he accomplish his mission, but it is how quickly Bengston did it. The trades with Cleveland to acquire Henry Jordan, Bill Quinlan and Willie Davis. His work with the two young linebackers, and most importantly the sudden rise to stardom at right outside linebacker by veteran Bill Forester. 

Forester, much like Hazeltine, in San Francisco, was the key man on weak-side pass coverage, the timely "red dog" and the ability to diagnose and pursue. When the Packers took the field entering the '62 campaign as reigning champions, they were soon to become one of the best defenses in NFL history from when division play began. 

Bengston adjusted over the next few years, and though the Packers would still "red dog" they became the standard to measure your own team based upon the coverages, alignments, and subtle strategy. When you study the Packers defense in the first two "Silver Trophy" games, you quickly see his impact on the outcome of the game. 

This saga is not an evaluation of Phil Bengston as a head coach, but to state emphatically that he should be in the assistant coaches' Hall of Fame! 

Finally, an apology to BruAnt for getting the date wrong in last week's column, sure should have double checked. One game left to play, and would relish any and all thoughts on who wins the game, and how they are going to do it.

TUESDAY TIDBITS: "You're Gonna Get What's Coming"

By TJ Troup 

Gonna stay with music lyric quotes again this week. Yesterday was Robert Palmer's birthday and always enjoyed the power chord structure to his song, which is the title for today's column. Down to the final four teams, and have a stat for you folks, what is the win% since the merger in '70 for the team that scores the first touchdown on Championship Sunday? 

Since both the Chiefs & Eagles last year scored the first touchdowns in their respective games just added to the fact that the team that finds the "promised land" first wins 74.8% of the time (40-14 historically in the AFC & 40-13 in the NFC)! 

Read online that with Stroud throwing errant passes all over the field in Foxboro, quarterbacks who have thrown four interceptions in a game have a record of 3-35 since the merger. Why did the writer not go back and research the games from 1933 through 1969? Eleven times a quarterback or tailback "achieved" this, starting with Frankie Filchock in 1940. 

Frankie Filchock

Though could detail most of those games, the game that intrigued me the most was former Packer Arnie Herber in '44 as he attempted to beat his former team now as a New York Giant. The excellent game plan conceived by Lambeau has the Packers ahead 14-0 at the half. The Giants ran the ball with former Fullerton Junior College star Howie Livingston (he gained 14 yards on 10 carries)in the first half! Herber threw just one pass; which was intercepted by Joe Laws. 

The second half has Arnie pitching the pigskin 21 times, completing eight with three more of them interceptions. Herber's long completion to Frank Liebel on the last play of the third quarter set up Ward Cuff's one-yard run to begin the 4th quarter. Herber ended the game with four consecutive pass plays from their own side of the fifty, gaining only six yards (thank you, Mr. Eric Goska, for the play-by-play). 

Arnie Herber

Returning to the upcoming games, let's start with the Rams in Seattle playing a team that they have struggled to beat on the road. Seattle ranked fourth in the defensive passer rating category, and no doubt, coach McDonald is devising a defensive game play to stop? Well, at least limit future Hall of Famer Matt Stafford. 

Okay, folks, who is the key for the Rams offense? Can the Ram defense pressure Darnold and take the ball away? 

Will end my column with Denver having twice played on January 18th in the past. Though leading at the half the Broncos were outscored by the Giants 30 to 10 in the second half as Phil Simms continued his unerring accuracy, completing all then of his second-half passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns in the victory in the Rose Bowl. 

Eleven years later, in San Diego, a different story as the "underdog" Broncos pounded the Packer defense as TD rambled for 157 yards on the ground due to the punishing blocking of the Denver offensive line. Was in attendance at that game, and boy, oh boy, was it exciting to watch! 

Can Denver win again on a January 18th Sunday? 

Since their quarterback is not John Elway or even Bo Nix is sure looking like coach Vrabel will take his Patriots to the "Silver Trophy" game in his first season in Foxboro. If some of you believe Denver will win, hopefully you will share how the Broncos can win this game? 

See you next week.

The Flag Report: Winners, Losers, and the Discipline Gap of the 2025 NFL Season

 by Nick Webster

Football is a team game and coaches are always preaching discipline, but individual discipline can be the difference between a touchdown drive and a punt. Using the final 2025 data, we’ve identified the "Flag Kings" of the season—the players whose names were called most often by the referee's microphone.

1. The Volume Leaders: The 14-Flag Club

Two offensive linemen shared the dubious honor of leading the league in total penalties committed: J.C. Latham (Tennessee) and Jermaine Eluemunor (NY Giants), both finishing with 14 flags.

• J.C. Latham (TEN): Not only did he lead in volume, but his penalties were objectively the most damaging. He tied for the NFL lead (Along with Darnell Wright) in Stalled Drives (drives which, after the penalty - didn't result in a First Down or TD), with 8 of his infractions directly killing his team's momentum.

• Jermaine Eluemunor (NYG): A "False Start" specialist, Eluemunor struggled with snap counts all year, accounting for 9 False Starts, a massive chunk of the Giants' league-leading penalty count.

2. The Yardage King: Riley Moss’s Vertical Problem

If J.C. Latham was the king of volume, Riley Moss (Denver) was the king of field position . . . and why do all the white CB's come from Iowa? Moss surrendered a staggering 203 penalized yards.  Since 1999, this is the second-largest total ever, falling behind only Brandon Browner's disastrous 2015, where he had 21 penalties accepted for 207 yards, which drove him out of the league the following season.  The fact that Moss "achieved" this on just 10 accepted penalties tells you that he was flagged for DPI on some very long plays. 

Moss became a frequent target for "underthrown" deep balls, leading to 10 Defensive Pass Interferences, including plays of 47, 40, 38, 25 and 22-yards, to name a few. While Denver’s defense was elite, Moss’s tendency to get grabby allowed opponents to gain 20+ yards at a time without completing a pass. He and Keisean Nixon (Green Bay) also shared the league lead for most First Downs gifted to the opponent, with 10 each.

3. The "Drive Killers": Wright and Latham

A penalty is annoying, but a penalty that ends a drive is fatal.

• Darnell Wright (Chicago): Tied with Latham for 8 stalled drives. Wright’s holding calls frequently turned 2nd-and-Short situations into 2nd-and-Long, a hole the Bears' offense often couldn't climb out of.  Wright was a breakout player for the Bears, particularly his mauling style in the run game - but the penalties must come down.

• Jawaan Taylor (KC): Despite being on a championship contender KC, Taylor remained a flag magnet, as he's been for many years, committing 13 penalties (ranking 3rd overall).  It seems the Chiefs can't live without a Penalty-machine at tackle they needed Taylor there after Donovan Smith retired.

4. The Hidden Cost: Nullified Yards

The most frustrating stat for a wide receiver is seeing a highlight-reel play erased by a mistake.

• Darius Slayton (NYG): Slayton led the league in Nullified Yards, with 158 yards of offense wiped off the board due to penalties.  Darius Slayton negated 2-TDs of his own, a 72-yarder and a 68-yarder, respectively, by committing OPI in order to make the reception.  The 140-yards negated on just those two plays got him most of the way to his seasons' total and the highest figure since 1999 - second place being Keyshawn Martin in 2015 with a mere 137 yards negated.

• Stefon Diggs (NE): Following closely behind, Diggs saw 112 yards of his production disappear because of yellow flags due to OPI's of 51 and 61 yards, respectively.  Adding insult to injury, one of Diggs' OPI's was on a play where he wasn't even targeted, negating a 61-yard TD from Drake Maye to Dermario Douglass.

TUESDAY TIDBITS: "I'm Gonna Tell You a Story"

By TJ Troup

NFL films captured the essence of each of the Super Bowl Champion teams with "America's Game" series, and the story of the 2003 Patriots begins with the classic garage band song "Dirty Water" by the Standells. The New England Patriots that season beat the Colts on January 18th as their defense intercepted Peyton Manning four times. 

Starting outside linebacker Mike Vrabel sure contributed in that game (also during the season). Can Coach Vrabel continue his successful season by taking down a Houston Texans team that can run the ball, and play the best pursuit defense in the league? 

Houston is one of the teams that kept the streak alive of at least one road team winning in the playoffs each year since 1970. Oh, there were other road teams that won this past weekend? San Francisco was sure impressive in defeating the defending Super Bowl Champion Eagles. Can the Niners beat the division rival #1 seed Seahawks? 

The NFC team that won at home was those cuddly little Bears in another amazing second-half comeback. Their reward for the victory over the Packers is to take on a Ram team that won on the road. 

Historically, the Bears beaten the Rams many times, yet I want to take a closer look at a rivalry that I have seen many times in person. When I attended my first Bears vs. Rams game on November 15, 1964, I was elated that Chicago easily beat the Rams that day in the Coliseum. 

Since that day the Rams have beaten the Bears 23 times and lost 18; some of those watched in person in both Los Angeles & Anaheim. Let's focus on the two playoff games; we are in the Coliseum on December 17th, 1950, as an offensive powerhouse Ram team that has lost twice to the Bears in the regular season, wins 24-14. Waterfield shreds shoddy Bears man coverage on Tom Fears while the defense intercepts Johnny Lujack 3 times, and takes him down for 52 yards in sacks!

Tom Fears

Buddy Ryan, after losing to the Rams in Angel Stadium in both '83 & '84 (was there both times), candidly spins his tale that the Bears' creative defense known as the '46' will stop Dickerson and the Rams. 

The illustrious Dieter Brock has a nightmare of a game (28.0 passer rating), throwing an interception, losing a fumble, which Wilber Marshall happily gobbled up and sped down the field to score. Brock was sacked three times! McMahon was a very efficient passer that windy day with a passer rating of 96.1. 

Wiber Marshall

Bet you can see where I am going with this? The key to the game is both the pass rush & pass defense. Can the Rams pillage the Chicago pass pocket? Can future Hall of Famer Matthew Stafford shred a suspect Bear secondary, or does Caleb W. continue his 4th quarter magic? 

See ya next week.