The 2025 New England Patriots have been playing exceptionally well and have a 5-2 record. This is mainly due to Bill Belichick alum and new head coach, Mike Vrabel, revamping the attitude in the locker room and around the organization. Bill Belichick built something special in New England, and he has moved into the next round of Hall of Fame voting, getting closer to football immortality and being recognized for that.
Belichick officially advanced as one of 12 former coaches under consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 in the Coaches category. Next, the process will be cut to nine semifinalists in November before eventually landing on one coaching finalist for 2026. Belichick is officially eligible for the Hall of Fame after a revised rule that requires only a one-year absence from the NFL.
The Patriots and Belichick made history together in New England. In the 2000s, Belichick was the architect behind the franchise's winning six Super Bowl titles and three other appearances during 18 years from 2001 to 2018. During his entire tenure spanning from 2000 to 2023, no team was more consistent than the New England Patriots.
Belichick's resume is unmatched in the NFL. He has 333 career wins, second only to Don Shula, and 31 playoff wins, the most in NFL history. He has eight Super Bowl titles because he won two as a defensive coordinator. He also has an NFL record of 17 Division titles and has won Coach of the Year thrice.
The Patriots had 20 straight winning seasons from 2001 to 2019, a record that has never been achieved before, especially in the salary cap era. Belichick was a mastermind at exploiting matchups, especially on defense, and because of his ability to adapt, he repeatedly threw his opponents off.
He also completely changed roster construction in the NFL, favoring value-based decisions and role-specific players. He emphasized team-first mentality, accountability, and strategic flexibility, influencing countless coaches and front offices across the league today.
Belichick is currently at North Carolina, and while things have completely fallen off the rails there, that has no bearing on how good things were in the NFL.
Two-time Super Bowl champion coaches Tom Coughlin, Mike Shanahan, George Seifert, and another Super Bowl winner, Mike Holmgren, also advanced with Belichick in the voting.
Belichick, Coughlin, Shanahan, and Seifert are among the 14 coaches who have won multiple Super Bowls. Nine of those coaches are already in, with the other being Andy Reid, who is still active and not eligible yet.
