Longtime New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is among 12 coaching nominees eligible to be inducted in to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026.
Belichick is eligible for induction for the first time this year, as the Hall of Fame recently reduced the waiting period for former coaches to just one season. His current job as head coach at the University of North Carolina does not impact his eligibility.
Among the nominees, Belichick headlines the group. After winning two Super Bowls as a defensive
coordinator with the New York Giants, Belichick went on to spend 24 of his 29 seasons as a head coach with the Patriots where he won six Super Bowls.
Over the span of 2001 to 2023, Belichick led New England to 17 AFC East division titles behind a 266-121 record — with an additional 30-12 mark in the playoffs — while being named NFL Coach of the Year three times. The wins helped place Belichick second all-time in NFL coaching wins with 333 and a league-record 31 postseason wins.
Along with Belichick, the list of nominees includes fellow former Super Bowl-winning coaches Tom Coughlin, Mike Shanahan, Mike Holmgren and George Seifert.
Other nominees include Marty Schottenheimer, Dan Reeves, Chuck Knox, Buddy Parker, Bill Arnsparger, Alex Gibbs and Clark Shaughnessy.
Voters will ultimately shorten the list to nine semifinalists next month before ultimately choosing one finalist. Final Hall of Fame selections are typically announced during the NFL Honors during the week of the Super Bowl.
