New York Giants great Carl Banks is very familiar with how good a coach Bill Belichick is.
The former All-Pro linebacker won two Super Bowls while playing for Belichick when the latter was the defensive coordinator. Belichick would, of course, go on to build his legacy even further by winning six Super Bowls as the head coach of the New England Patriots.
The big news prior to media week starting for Super Bowl LX was Belichick being left out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his first ballot. Just about everyone in the football world was furious over the snub. Banks said it revealed the “petty” nature of some of the voters.
“I think it’s unfortunate, and I think it’s petty,” said Banks in a one-on-one interview. “But it exposed a lot of biases in a committee where you can not like a guy for the accomplishments that he has, but you gotta grin and bear it. You gotta take a bite of the lemon and say, ‘Okay, he’s got my vote, but I don’t personally like him,’ But to say I’m God for this one moment, and I can stick it to you, you just exposed yourself as not credible. It’s unfortunate, but it just underscores the pettiness of the way some of these people can be.”
Belichick has the most accomplished coaching resume in NFL history, with the most Super Bowl wins and playoff wins of any head coach. He also has the third-most wins overall, behind only Don Shula and George Halas. Reports indicated that the argument for keeping Belichick out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame revolved around the Spygate and Deflategate scandals during his career.
The snub — which may be the biggest in Pro Football Hall of Fame voting history — may result in changes and voters having their privileges rescinded. Banks said this whole controversy will result in the voting process to “self-correct” itself to avoid more controversy.
“I don’t know, I think it’s going to self correct,” said Banks. “I think what it did is expose them to the point there are some journalists that want to out the people who didn’t vote, but they’ve been shamed right now. AI would venture to say that if you found out who those people were and ask them if they would do it again, they probably say no.”
Banks — like many others — is astonished that some voters allowed the power get to their heads to keep arguably the greatest head coach of all time out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“They wanted to stick it to him,” said Banks. “It’s amazing to me how you know you get power, and you feel like you sit back and you wait to use it on the winningest coach, the most decorated coach in football. You decide that this is what you want to do it for. You just played yourself. Was this a group text message that says we’re voting no? Or what was it? But you certainly played yourself when it comes to Belichick.”
Overshadowed by the Belichick snub was Giants great Eli Manning being left out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the second consecutive season. While he may not have the individual awards to his resume, Manning two Super Bowls and defeated Tom Brady’s New England Patriots twice in the big game. He also ranks in the top 11 in both touchdowns and yards.
Banks said Manning “deserves” to be in the Hall of Fame.
“I think he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, and I think he’ll eventually get there,” said Banks. “But again, when you have people that are voting, that just decide, it’s almost like watching one of these sports shows on TV now. Where guys have a position and they just stand on it and defend it, whether it’s right or wrong. Dan Fouts, known as the most prolific passer of his era, I don’t know if his win-loss record is as good as Eli’s he’s in. There are a few quarterbacks that are in that were not held to a standard that they’re holding Eli to. And neither of those guys, any of those guys that are in there with numbers like Eli, don’t even have two Super Bowls.”
The former Giants linebacker believes Manning will eventually get in, pointing towards the two clutch drives against the Patriots, including ending the undefeated season in 2007.
“That should count for a lot, and it doesn’t, because, we live in a pop-narrative TV world where these guys get to play God, and they get to have a position, and they get to own it, and walk around and say this is why,” said Banks. “It is what it is. Eli deserves to be in there, and we’ll see if it happens. I believe it will happen.”
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