Bill Belichick’s 1st Ballot Hall of Fame Snub Brings Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady Back Into Spotlight

Bill Belichick was instrumental in tilting the Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning rivalry towards the Patriots' side.

Bill Belichick’s 1st Ballot Hall of Fame Snub Brings Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady Back Into Spotlight

Peyton Manning, Bill Polian, Tom Brady, and Bill Belichick (Image via ESPN/The Athletic/X)

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During the height of the rivalry between Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, Bill Belichick was often cited as the one who tilted the battle towards the New England Patriots.

At the height of that battle was a scandal that became the talking point of the NFL, and painted Belichick and his coaches as thieves looking to gain an upper hand.

‘Spygate’ had tarnished the NFL’s reputation to the point where every franchise had to change the way its coaches appear and work on the sidelines.

On the receiving end of it, as some believed, was Peyton Manning and his Indianapolis Colts, who lost to the Patriots twice on their path to the Super Bowl. It seems their General Manager at that time, Bill Polian, has managed to exact revenge.

A voter who spoke on condition of anonymity said that Polian… told some voters he believed Belichick should “wait a year” before induction as penance for Spygate, the 2007 cheating scandal that cost the team a first-round draft pick.

Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham revealed

The ESPN writers spoke with some of the voters, who confirmed that ‘Spygate’ did play a part in Bill Belichick not receiving the 10 votes necessary to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his first try.

It is as if Bill Polian firmly believed that if not for that cheating scandal, Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts would have been Super Bowl champions instead of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

Ryan Clark believes Tom Brady could also suffer Bill Belichick’s ‘Spygate’ karma

With Bill Belichick being made to wait for one more year before he can finally wear his gold jacket, Super Bowl champion Ryan Clark believes this might impact Tom Brady‘s chances.

Bill Belichick and Tom Brady
Bill Belichick and Tom Brady (Image via Sports Illustrated/X)

If rumors are true and Bill Polian led the charge of Belichick waiting because of Deflategate and Spygate does that mean that Tom Brady has to wait too? Because ain’t no fricking way Tom is waiting or should wait… and neither should Bill!

Ryan Clark wrote on X

The ESPN analyst wrote this on the assumption that Hall of Fame voters will likely use ‘Spygate’, and ‘Deflategate,’ another scandal that has proved to be a black mark on the Patriots, on Brady, whenever he is in line to be voted.

Either way, Belichick not getting 10 votes based on these reasons is alone a blasphemous situation, as the reactions of almost everyone in the football world have revealed. Now, Clark hopes this does not end up impacting the 7-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback.

Former Cowboys head coach wants Bill Belichick’s non-voters to be exposed

Last year, the Pro Football Hall of Fame released the names of the voters and who they voted for. This time, especially in light of this situation, former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jimmie Johnson wants to know who did not vote for Bill Belichick.

PLEASE…If you did not vote for BB (Bill Belichick), identify yourselves!!! Probably too much of a coward..Hide behind your SECRET BALLOT!!!

Jimmie Johnson wrote on X

The Hall of Famer has been running a tirade on X after this news broke, even using some choice words to vent his frustrations against those 10 voters who did not believe Belichick was worthy of a first-ballot entry into Canton, Ohio.

Johnson’s reaction is on par with what everyone has been saying, that no one should get a first-ballot Hall of Fame entry if Bill Belichick did not get one.

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