The Moment
Rob Gronkowski is not mincing words about his old boss. Asked about Bill Belichick missing out on first-ballot induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the former New England Patriots star told cameras, “He got screwed! He got screwed!”
Gronk made the comments outside NBC in New York City this week, in a clip posted by TMZ Sports on January 31, 2026. He added that Belichick “should be 100% Pro Football Hall of Fame first ballot,” treating it like the no-brainer most of us assumed it was.
He’s not alone. According to the same report, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes reacted to Belichick’s miss by calling it “Insane… don’t even understand how this could be possible,” in a social-media post. Former Super Bowl-winning coach Bruce Arians also chimed in on camera, calling the decision “terrible” and suggesting that jealousy might be driving some of the voters.
Jimmy Kimmel mocks Bill Belichick Hall of Fame snub with Jordon Hudson dig https://t.co/gtovKYIaeq pic.twitter.com/gooKl5FnQ2
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 30, 2026
Bottom line: in his first year of Hall of Fame eligibility, the man widely considered the greatest coach in NFL history did not get first-ballot status, and the football world’s group chat is on fire.
The Take
I mean, let’s be honest: leaving Bill Belichick off the first-ballot list is like opening a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and deciding, “You know what, maybe we’ll get to the Beatles next year.” Technically allowed. Optically ridiculous.
We can argue forever about how much of the Patriots’ dynasty was Tom Brady and how much was Belichick. But six Super Bowl rings as a head coach, two more as a defensive coordinator, and two decades of turning random late-round picks into household names? That’s not a borderline resume. That’s the blueprint.
So why the hesitation from voters? This feels less like a debate over greatness and more like a referendum on likability and baggage. Belichick has never been warm and fuzzy with the media. He’s got Spygate and Deflategate hanging in his Wikipedia section. And, let’s face it, the “Patriot Way” rubbed plenty of opponents the wrong way for a very long time.
When Bruce Arians hints that jealousy is involved, he’s saying the quiet part out loud: it looks like some of the people holding the ballots might be using the Hall as a place to settle old scores or make a point. Not about wins and losses, but about how Belichick made them feel.
Gronk and Mahomes, on the other hand, are doing something pretty simple: separating personal vibes from professional reality. You don’t have to love the hoodie, the monotone pressers, or the controversies to admit he changed the sport. If the Hall of Fame is supposed to be a museum of football’s biggest forces, how is that guy not a first-ballot lock?
In the end, Belichick will almost certainly get in. But first-ballot is its own kind of crown. It says, “We didn’t hesitate.” Right now, the message is, “We did.” And that hesitation says a lot more about the voters than it does about Bill.
Receipts
Confirmed:
- Rob Gronkowski told TMZ Sports on video that Bill Belichick “should be 100% Pro Football Hall of Fame first ballot” and that “he got screwed,” in footage published January 31, 2026.
- The same report states that Belichick did not receive first-ballot Hall of Fame honors in his first year of eligibility.
- Bruce Arians, speaking on camera in that piece, called it “terrible” that Belichick didn’t get in on the first try and said anyone who voted against him should publicly own that vote.
- Patrick Mahomes’ reaction, quoted in the report, described the decision as “Insane… don’t even understand how this could be possible,” referencing his social-media response.
Unverified / Opinion:
- Bruce Arians’ suggestion that jealousy influenced some Hall of Fame voters is his personal read; no voters have publicly confirmed jealousy as a motive.
- Any idea that this was a deliberate “message” to Belichick, or punishment for past controversies, is speculation and not supported by on-the-record statements from the Hall of Fame selection committee.
Sources: On-camera interviews and reporting from TMZ Sports, published January 31, 2026, including quotes from Rob Gronkowski and Bruce Arians, plus Mahomes’ social-media reaction as cited in that coverage.
Backstory (For Casual Readers)
If you drifted from football after the 90s, here’s the quick refresher. Bill Belichick is the longtime head coach who, alongside quarterback Tom Brady, turned the New England Patriots into a 21st-century dynasty. Under Belichick, the Pats won six Super Bowls, appeared in three more, and basically spent two decades making the rest of the AFC miserable.
Belichick is famous for his cutoff-hoodie sideline look, his stone-faced press conferences, and a ruthless, detail-obsessed style that produced historic results but also serious controversy. The Patriots organization was disciplined over the years for issues like videotaping opponents’ signals (Spygate) and the underinflated-football saga (Deflategate). Even so, most analysts still rank him at or near the top of the “greatest NFL coach ever” list, which is why many assumed a first-ballot Hall of Fame nod was a done deal.
What’s Next
Belichick is not exactly the type to hop on a podcast and spill his feelings, so don’t hold your breath for a lengthy rant about the snub. If he responds at all, expect something brief, dry, and extremely on-brand.
The more likely next chapter is this: more former players and coaches taking public sides. We’ve already seen Gronk, Mahomes, and Arians go to bat for him. You can expect a wave of current and retired Patriots, plus rival coaches who respect the grind, weighing in over the coming days. The Hall of Fame debate circuit is officially open for business.
On the Hall’s side, we may or may not get detailed explanations from individual voters. Some might decide to write columns or give interviews about their ballots; others usually stay quiet, preferring the mystique of the process. Either way, Belichick’s credentials aren’t changing. If anything, this drama only guarantees that when he does get in, it’ll come with an extra-thick layer of “about time.”
Maybe that’s the real question now: did voters protect some secret standard, or just overplay their hand by trying to send a message only they understand?
What do you think: is Bill Belichick’s first-ballot snub a fair call on a complicated legacy, or proof the Hall of Fame voting process has gotten way too personal?
Comments