The New England Patriots are preparing for a Super Bowl while also being at the center of tense off-field debates. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Although the franchise is not under direct scrutiny, one of its most influential figures has been the talk of town in NFL circles. Bill Belichick did not receive enough votes to gain entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, triggering shock waves throughout the sports world. Some of those who omitted the all-time great head coach are explaining their rationale.
Longtime Indianapolis Colts beat writer Mike Chappell had a particularly interesting reason for not casting a vote for Belichick.
“I’m not going to respond to many comments, but I’ll make an exception,” Chappell began. “As I mentioned in the story, I tend to favor a Senior candidate over a coach/GM. Belichick will almost assuredly get in next year. If these Senior guys don’t make it, they might never get a chance. I’m not going to mention the 2 Seniors I voted for. It’s not a simple case of which is a better nominee. And this has zero to do with the Patriots. I voted for Kraft.”
In Chappell’s article for Fox 59, he stated that he voted FOR the Pats owner and not AGAINST Belichick. The HOF voter endorsed Kraft for his role in the New England dynasty, as well as his contributions to the NFL’s massive growth and its presently peaceful labor relations. Chappell also highlighted Spygate, the cheating scandal that has ostensibly been used to delay Belichick’s enshrinement in Canton, Ohio.
How many votes did Patriots’ Robert Kraft inadvertently take away from Bill Belichick?
Perhaps one can understand why a voter would feel the need to prioritize a senior HOF finalist like Ken Anderson, Roger Craig and L.C. Greenwood, but the decision to favor Robert Kraft over Bill Belichick will ruffle feathers around the industry. Although the 84-year-old billionaire certainly did his part to lift the Patriots out of obscurity, many will argue that he owes most of his NFL-based success to Tom Brady and Belichick.
A good owner places trust in the right people, and he did that for two historic decades. But Kraft did not always exercise sharp judgment. If fans are going to focus on Belichick’s record pre and post-Brady, they should also look closer at the big boss’s entire résumé. He misguidedly enacted a succession plan that would install Jerod Mayo as head coach despite him never even working as a coordinator. Kraft’s gamble produced miserable results, namely a 4-13 campaign that ended in Mayo’s firing.
He then dipped into the dynasty days and brought back Mike Vrabel. That decision is yielding huge dividends in just year one. Nevertheless, it is still obviously controversial to emphasize Kraft’s accomplishments over the indelible mark that Belichick has left on the game. Mike Chappell also refuted the rumors that Colts legends and HOF voters Bill Polian and Tony Dungy tried to sway the committee against the eight-time Super Bowl champion (six as head coach).
Regardless of what kind of conversations took place, it is clear that a number of individuals believe the North Carolina head coach’s blemishes (Spygate, Deflategate) warrant some form of punishment. Though, perhaps there are those who genuinely wanted to extend their support elsewhere. Either way, the Hall of Fame will be under the microscope next year, and possibly beyond.
Many people still do not have the answers they want amid the fallout, but they could at least admit there is something fitting about Robert Kraft potentially being an indirect reason why Bill Belichick has to wait for his bust. Their reportedly adversarial relationship continues even when they are seemingly not even willing participants. Add another layer to one of the most fascinating dynasties in sports history.
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