New England Patriots proprietor Robert Kraft, like his former head coach Invoice Belichick, was not chosen for entry into this yr’s Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame class, a number of league sources advised ESPN.
Kraft, a first-time Corridor of Fame finalist this yr, didn’t obtain sufficient votes from the 50-person choice committee to be included within the Class of 2026, which will likely be introduced Thursday night time on the NFL Honors in San Francisco.
Curiously sufficient, the Corridor of Fame’s new voting necessities in 2025 helped pit Kraft towards Belichick. Kraft was one in every of 5 finalists amongst contributors, coaches and senior gamers who final appeared in a recreation in 2000 or earlier. Kraft was the contributor finalist and Belichick was the coach, with Roger Craig, Ken Anderson and L.C. Greenwood the gamers.
The 50 voters every decide three of the 5 finalists, and between one to a few make it in the event that they get no less than 40 votes. If no candidate will get 40 votes, the highest vote-getter will likely be elected. A brand new rule additionally made coaches eligible one yr after retiring as an alternative of 5. Between one and three of these finalists will likely be inducted into the Corridor together with between three and 5 trendy period gamers from a gaggle of 15 finalists.
ESPN reported final week that Belichick fell wanting the 40 votes wanted for induction this yr, setting off a torrent of criticism over the longtime coach’s exclusion and the Corridor of Fame’s voting course of. Kraft stated in a press release final week that Belichick “is the best coach of all time and he unequivocally deserves to be a unanimous first-ballot Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer.”
Kraft’s exclusion ought to finish the hypothesis that voters’ advocacy for Kraft was what saved Belichick out. It is also potential, within the opinion of some league sources, that the voting course of contributes to canceling out assist that any explicit candidate might need gotten.
“No matter perceptions could exist about any private variations between Invoice and me, I strongly consider Invoice Belichick’s report and physique of labor converse for themselves,” Kraft stated in his assertion final Wednesday.
“As head coach of the New England Patriots for greater than 20 years, he set the usual for on-field excellence, preparation, and sustained success within the free company and wage cap period of the Nationwide Soccer League. He’s the best coach of all time and he unequivocally deserves to be a unanimous first-ballot Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer.”
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell echoed these sentiments Monday night time and added that he thinks Kraft finally will even be a Corridor of Famer.
“Invoice Belichick’s report goes with out saying, similar with the Patriots and Robert Kraft, who can be a candidate,” Goodell stated. “They’re spectacular. They’ve contributed a lot to this recreation, and I consider they are going to be Corridor of Famers.”
Thus, in a yr through which the Patriots shocked many and reached Tremendous Bowl LX, neither of the 2 intently linked males who helped lead New England to 6 Tremendous Bowl titles will likely be inducted into the Corridor of Fame this yr.
The Patriots are tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for essentially the most Tremendous Bowl titles of any franchise; a win in Tremendous Bowl LX would depart the Patriots in sole possession of essentially the most Tremendous Bowl wins, and Kraft has been the principal proprietor for all.
Earlier than Kraft bought the franchise in 1994, the Patriots had received 225 video games; since then, the Patriots have received 374, together with Tremendous Bowl XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLIX, LI and LIII.
Belichick was employed by Kraft in 2000 and led the franchise to 6 Tremendous Bowl wins and three different appearances within the title recreation throughout an 18-year span from 2001 to ’18. Belichick’s 333 wins within the common season and playoffs with New England and Cleveland are the second most to Don Shula’s 347.
The Patriots’ 10 Tremendous Bowl appearances since Kraft purchased the crew are essentially the most for any proprietor in NFL historical past. New England went to the Tremendous Bowl in Kraft’s third season below coach Invoice Parcells, after which 9 extra instances with Belichick.
Kraft has been a member on a number of NFL possession committees and likewise performed a key position in resolving the 2011 lockout.
Kraft first was nominated for the Corridor of Fame Class of 2013, making him eligible in every of the previous 14 years. He was one in every of 9 semifinalists final yr however didn’t advance to the ultimate spherical, being crushed out by Ralph Hay, one of many NFL’s founding members.
That is the primary yr the place Kraft superior to develop into a finalist, albeit within the contributor class, however he nonetheless was denied entry into the Corridor of Fame that features NFL house owners corresponding to Jerry Jones, Pat Bowlen, Eddie DeBartolo Jr., Ralph Wilson and Dan Rooney.
Voting on the senior finalists is performed individually from the modern-era voting, which included 4 gamers this yr — Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Frank Gore and Jason Witten — of their first yr of eligibility.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
