Bill Belichick is back on the ballot.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced coach nominees for the Class of 2027 on Nov. 5, with Belichick headlining the list of five. It marks the second consecutive season for the former New England Patriots head coach, who oversaw one of the greatest dynasties in NFL history.
Belichick's snub on the first ballot sparked outrage across the football world in January, leaving many to question the Hall of Fame's voting process. Now the path to enshrinement in Canton, Ohio, looks a little different as sweeping changes were enacted in September.
The Hall slashed its voting body from 50 members to 25 as part of the change. It will also have three non-voting members that will make up a 28-person selection committee.
The three non-voters are set to rotate each season.
Subcommittees initially debated a list of 14 coaching candidates for enshrinement in 2027 before settling on the list of five that includes Belichick, Tom Coughlin, Mike Holmgren, Dan Reeves and Mike Shanahan.
All five nominees found themselves in the same position last year, with Belichick being chosen as the category's representative.
And, just like last year, only one will advance out of the group again to be among the 15 finalists that will include 13 modern-era Players, one coach and one contributor.
Here's what to know.
Why wasn't Bill Belichick inducted into the Hall of Fame?
Belichick didn't receive the necessary votes for induction as part of the Class of 2026. Under the previous voting rules, the coach would've needed at least 40 of 50 votes to be enshrined in Aug. 2026.
Since voting for the Pro Football Hall of Fame isn't public, it's unclear how many votes Belichick received.
Bill Belichick reacts to Hall of Fame snub
Belichick spoke about the snub during an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity on the May 19 episode of the "Hang Out with Sean Hannity" podcast.
"Well, it's out of my control," Belichick said. "And honestly, I've been very focused on my job at the University of North Carolina and the players and the university there. So, you know, whatever happens, happens. But I'm proud of what we accomplished as teams at New England and certainly at the Giants, and proud of those relationships. So that's what matters most."
Belichick said appreciated the outpouring of support for his Hall of Fame case in the immediate aftermath of the 2026 snub.
"It’s great to hear that support from so many people and from so many different fields – not just football, but many others," he added. "And so, you know, I was very appreciative of that support and the positive comments that they made."
Belichick wasn't willing to speculate on why he wasn't voted in, saying you'd have to ask the voters.
Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2027 coach nominees
Belichick headlines the list of coach nominees for enshrinement as part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2027. The Hall provided a brief bio on each as part of the announcement:
- Bill Belichick: NFL coach from 1975-2023 with head coaching jobs with the Cleveland Browns (1991-95) and New England Patriots (2000-2023). Career record: 333-178 (including playoffs) with six Super Bowl titles as a head coach and two others as an assistant.
- Tom Coughlin: Spent 20 years as an NFL head coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars (1995-2002) and New York Giants (2004-2015). Including playoffs, posted a 182-157 record and led the Giants to two Super Bowl titles. Also won a title with Giants as an assistant coach.
- Mike Holmgren: Head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1992-98 and the Seattle Seahawks from 1999-2008; won a Super Bowl ring in two Super Bowl trips with the Packers and appeared in another Super Bowl as head coach of the Seahawks. Career record: 174-122 (including postseason). Also won two Super Bowls as an assistant with the San Francisco 49ers.
- Dan Reeves: Head coach of the Denver Broncos (1981-1992), New York Giants (1993-96) and Atlanta Falcons (1997-2003). Career record: 201-174-2 (including postseason). Led Broncos (three times) and Falcons (once) to the Super Bowl. Won a title as an assistant with the Dallas Cowboys.
- Mike Shanahan: Head coach of the Los Angeles Raiders (1988-89), Denver Broncos (1995-2008) and Washington Redskins (2010-13). Won back-to-back Super Bowls with the Broncos while compiling a 178-144 career record (including playoffs). Also won a title with the San Francisco 49ers as an assistant coach.
Given Belichick's snub last year, it would appear likely that the voting body would avoid a repeat this time around. That would seemingly make the coach a heavy favorite to be inducted.
Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2027 contributor nominees
The Hall announced the list of contributor nominees on Nov. 4, which is headlined by Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Like Belichick, Kraft fell short of receiving the necessary votes for induction in 2026.
Here's a look at the full list of nominees, with the bios provided by the Hall:
- Ralph Hay: Owned the Canton Bulldogs from 1918-1922; hosted the NFL's formational meeting in his automobile dealership in downtown Canton.
- Robert Kraft: Owner of the New England Patriots since 1994 and chairman and CEO of the Kraft Group. His teams have won six Super Bowls and played in five others – 11 appearances overall in the past 31 seasons. Also key member of several influential NFL owners' committees.
- Virginia McCaskey: Principal owner of the Chicago Bears from 1983 until her passing in 2025 at age 102. Daughter of team founder George Halas. During her tenure the Bears won Super Bowl XX during a stretch of five consecutive division titles.
- Doug Williams: Nine-year NFL career was punctuated with a Super Bowl title and game MVP honors following a 340-yard, four-touchdown performance against the Broncos to cap the 1987 season. Has spent the past 13 seasons in the front office of the Commanders’ franchise. Other stints as a scout or front office executive in the NFL came with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
- John Wooten: An offensive lineman in the NFL for 10 seasons, he transitioned to scouting and player personnel roles with the Cowboys, Eagles and Ravens for nearly three decades. In 2003, became chair of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, a group working to advance opportunities for minorities in coaching and front office positions across pro football.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bill Belichick nominated for Pro Football Hall of Fame 2027 class after first-ballot snub
