Eli Manning Weighs In on Bill Belichick’s Hall of Fame Rejection

Eli Manning was shocked to discover that Bill Belichick, who won six Super Bowls as a head coach was not inducted into the Hall of Fame on first bid.

Eli Manning Weighs In on Bill Belichick’s Hall of Fame Rejection

Bill Belichick and Eli Manning inside the circle (Image via IMAGO)

Eli Manning did not mince his words while sharing his honest opinion about Bill Belichick’s Hall of Fame snub on the first bid. Manning, who knows better than most that it was never easy to defeat a team coached by Belichick.

In both of his Super Bowl appearances as the Giants’ quarterback, Manning faced Belichick and the Patriots. Sure, he went 2-0, but it took eight quarters of hard grind to secure those wins. For someone like Belichick not finding a place in the HOF on the first try baffled the 45-year-old retired signal caller.

Bill Belichick not making the Hall of Fame is pretty shocking.

Eli Manning said (H/T: Clutchpoints)

Shocking is certainly the right word to use. Belichick won six Super Bowls as head coach and went to nine. In total, he has eight rings under his belt (two with the Giants).

[Belichick is] one of—if not maybe the greatest coach of all time—and what he built there in New England, and the amount of Super Bowls they went to, and AFC championships, let alone just the amount that they won, it was incredible.

Manning added

Belichick became eligible to be inducted into the HOF in 2026. However, he did not receive enough votes to have his bust enshrined in Canton. Naturally, it ticked off football fans who grew up during an era when the Patriots dominated the gridiron. Former players, whether from the Patriots or other NFL teams, questioned the Hall of Fame committee’s judgment. The retired Giant joins that long list.

I can’t imagine a more deserving coach to make it in the Hall of Fame than him.

Manning quipped

Previously, Manning had expanded on his thoughts on Belichick falling short of nomination as a first-ballot Hall of Famer during an interview with Front Office Sports.

You win that many years, you probably have some people that did not like him because he was beating them, or beating their team.

Manning noted

Kansas City Star’s Vahe Gregorian confessed that he did not vote for Belichick. Gregorian picked Ken Anderson, Roger Craig and L.C. Greenwood over Belichick as their eligibility was coming to an end.

I felt more compelled by what I perceive to be last chances and looming lost causes within the system as we have it.

Gregorian explained

The huge backlash came after a major announcement from Jim Porter, the president of the HOF committee. Porter hinted at making changes to the voting process. He wants to ensure that only the deserving individual gets the honor of being a Hall of Famer, even if it means voters might have to pass over senior athletes in their final year of eligibility.

Hall of Famer suggests making changes to voting process after Bill Belichick’s snub

One former player who firmly criticized the HOF for snubbing Belichick is Deion Sanders. The two-time Super Bowl winner, who was inducted in 2011, recently suggested changes to the voting process.

Eli Manning Weighs In on Bill Belichick’s Hall of Fame Rejection
Bill Belichick (Image via IMAGO)

During his appearance on the “This is Football” podcast with Kevin Clark, Sanders encouraged the committee to let former Hall of Fame athletes choose the new candidates.

Ask the Hall of Famers. I wouldn’t want the Grinch who stole Christmas voting on a beauty pageant.

Sanders said

Belichick logged the second most wins by an NFL head coach during his time in New England. He won 266 regular-season games (.687), or 302 in total if fans include his time in Cleveland. Currently, he is the head coach of the University of North Carolina football team.

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