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Pro Football Hall of Famer Champ Bailey said Wednesday it was “unfortunate” that Bill Belichick failed to make it into Canton on the first ballot, but understood why.
Bailey suggested that Belichick’s relationships with the media may have altered the way the voting went down.
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Champ Bailey before the game between the Las Vegas Raiders against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High on Oct. 6, 2024. (Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images)
“I’m surprised. I would love to know the reasoning behind not voting for him because I could see on one hand why some people wouldn’t and I could see on the other hand why he should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer,” Bailey said on “Up & Adams.” “There’s a lot of questions around his time as a head coach. You got Spygate and all these other things that happened. So, you have that to worry about.
“Also, he was never very kind to the media. So, what I’ve understood throughout my career, and before, and definitely after, is your relationships with the media determines a lot of the awards you get. I don’t think it diminishes what he’s done. I mean, he’s till an eight-time Super Bowl champion. The guy done it all from a success standpoint. It’s unfortunate that we’re here but there’s other guys that deserve to be first ballot that I can name that aren’t first ballot. There’s still a Hall of Fame and he’s one of them.”
Belichick notoriously kept his answers close to the vest during his career. He would have a handful of viral moments explaining Xs and Os from time to time. Mostly, though, he was short with reporters.
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick on the sidelines in 2023. (Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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It wasn’t until he departed from the New England Patriots that his personal life became more exposed. Belichick’s relationship with Jordon Hudson became the talk of the sports world last year as he took over the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Still, a few blunt responses to the media may not be the ultimate reason why Belichick wasn’t on the first ballot. One voter suggested that the process of the vote in the category he was in was handcuffing.
He was caught up in the Spygate and Deflategate scandals during his time. ESPN reported that the cheating scandals played a role in some voters’ decision on Belichick’s candidacy.
Bill Belichick answers questions during the press conference following a game between the New England Patriots and the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 24, 2022, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Belichick’s coaching tree appeared to be as strong as ever. The Patriots will return to the Super Bowl with Mike Vrabel at the helm. Vrabel won three titles under Belichick. Josh McDaniels, another Belichick staff member, is also serving as the team’s offensive coordinator.
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