Roger Goodell: 'Bill Belichick Deserves To Be In The Hall Of Fame'

It was strange watching Roger Goodell talk about Bill Belichick's Hall of Fame credentials Monday in the context that the commissioner once levied the penalty at the end of the Spygate investigation that might have helped sink Belichick's first-ballot hopes.

"…Bill Belichick deserves to be in that Hall of Fame," Goodell said at one point during his Super Bowl LX state of the league news conference.

So, Goodell agrees with President Donald Trump. And a lot of fans, players and others.

Feb 4, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick (left) and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell pose with the Vince Lombardi trophy and Pete Rozelle most valuble player trophy during Super Bowl LIII winning team press conference at Georgia World Congress Center. The Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 to win an NFL record-tying sixth championship  Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Goodell Opinion Overshadows Spygate?

Interesting.

Because you'll recall that in 2007, Goodell fined Belichick $500,000, the maximum allowed penalty for a head coach, fined the Patriots $250,000, and took a first-round pick from the club at the end of the league's Spygate investigation.

And, yet, none of what Goodell learned about that investigation then kept Goodell from heaping effusive praise on the coach, owner Robert Kraft and the Patriots on Monday.

And this comes in contrast to the fact Belichick failed to garner the necessary 40 of 50 votes to be inducted as part of the Class of 2026, which was first reported by ESPN. 

"Listen, I’m not even sure whether it’s true," Goodell said, "because I don’t think the class has been announced. But at the end of the day, as I said before, Bill Belichick is the second-winningest coach in NFL football, six Super Bowls as a head coach, I think, and two as a defensive coordinator. 

Feb 2, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell speaks to the media at San Jose Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Goodell Distances From Hall

"That’s a Hall of Fame career, but there’s a decision-making process here, and there’s a timing issue. There are a lot of people who are deserving of this. So, I think it’s something that [the selection committee will have to decide], but there are a lot of people who want to be in that Hall of Fame, and Bill Belichick deserves to be in that Hall of Fame."

And there it is.

Goodell did his level best to distance himself from the apparent snub of Belichick.

It's not his fault.

It's not the NFL's fault.

The decision is on the Hall of Fame's selectors – of which, in full transparency, I am one.

"The Pro Football Hall of Fame is not in any way controlled by the NFL," Goodell said. "We have no say in the voting process. We don’t participate in the voting process.

"I think it’s really an important honor, and it’s something that should be done with a lot of clarity, a lot of understanding of what’s expected of those voters."

The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.

Belichick, Kraft Contributed To Game

Goodell is part of the Hall of Fame board, but that role merely signs off on voters. It doesn't determine how they vote.

"Our board does nothing more in the voting [process] than approve the leaders of the media that participate. So, we are not involved."

And, again, it sounds like Goodell thinks the past indiscretions by Belichick, the Patriots and Robert Kraft as the team's owner, are not disqualifying for Hall of Fame induction.

"Listen, Bill Belichick's record goes without saying, same with the Patriots and Robert Kraft, who is also a candidate," Goodell said. "They are spectacular. They contributed so much to this game. And I believe they'll be Hall of Famers."