Hall Of Fame Reportedly Snubs Patriots Owner Kraft Alongside Former Coach Belichick

New England Patriots proprietor Robert Kraft has reportedly joined his team’s erstwhile caput coach Bill Belichick successful missing retired connected this year’s Hall of Fame class.

ESPN cited respective convention sources, who said that Kraft did not person nan basal number of votes to participate nan Hall. The caller members of nan Hall of Fame will beryllium revealed connected Thursday night, successful nan run-up to this weekend’s Super Bowl.

Belichick and Kraft built 1 of nan NFL’s astir successful dynasties successful New England, winning six Super Bowls together complete nan people of much than 2 decades. If nan Patriots hit nan Seattle Seahawks successful Sunday’s Super Bowl it will beryllium Kraft’s first title without Belichick arsenic caput coach. The triumph would besides mean nan Patriots would move retired of a necktie pinch nan Pittsburgh Steelers for nan astir Super Bowl wins by a franchise.

Last week, it emerged that Belichick had grounded to unafraid nan required votes to participate nan Hall of Fame this year, contempt being wide considered 1 of nan top caput coaches of each time. Belichick reportedly said “Six Super Bowls isn’t enough?” erstwhile he was told he hadn’t made nan Hall of Fame this year.

On Monday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said he believed some men deserved to beryllium successful nan Hall of Fame. The NFL does not determine who enters nan Hall.

“We are not progressive successful it,” Goodell said. “Bill Belichick’s grounds goes without saying, aforesaid pinch nan Patriots and Robert Kraft, who is besides a candidate. They are spectacular. They person contributed truthful overmuch to this game, and I judge they will beryllium Hall of Famers.”

Kraft’s evident removal dampens speculation that Kraft lobbied voters to support his erstwhile caput coach retired of nan Hall aft their narration soured. Kraft denied those rumors past week.

“Whatever perceptions whitethorn beryllium astir immoderate individual differences betwixt Bill and me, I powerfully judge Bill Belichick’s grounds and assemblage of activity speak for themselves,” Kraft said successful his connection past Wednesday.

“As caput coach of nan New England Patriots for much than 2 decades, he group nan modular for on-field excellence, preparation, and sustained occurrence successful nan free agency and net headdress era of nan National Football League. He is nan top coach of each clip and he unequivocally deserves to beryllium a unanimous first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer.”

Others person speculated that Kraft and Belichick person been passed complete by voters owed to nan Spygate and Deflategate scandals that marred nan team’s reputation.

Kraft was first nominated for nan Hall of Fame successful 2013 but this was nan first twelvemonth he was a finalist. Other NFL owners specified arsenic Jerry Jones, Pat Bowlen, Eddie DeBartolo Jr, and Dan Rooney are already successful nan Hall of Fame.