The Ringer NFL Show Bill Belichick Snubbed! What Happened?
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Jan 29, 2026 Steven Ruiz, sports journalist and NFL commentator, breaks down Bill Belichick’s surprising Hall of Fame omission and the voting drama behind it. Short takes on theories from rivalry politics to voter assumptions. They also react to the Cleveland Browns’ unexpected hire of Todd Monken and what it means for coaching ripple effects.
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Voting Mechanics Can Create Upsets
- The Hall of Fame voting system can produce surprising outcomes because groups are forced to rank multiple candidates from small pools.
- Bill Belichick failed to reach 40 of 50 votes, meaning at least 11 voters left him off their top three in his category.
Immediate Outrage And A Tweet Storm
- Steven Ruiz said he went on a 'tweet storm' after hearing Belichick's omission and felt encouraged by the blowback.
- He described the reaction as more unified against the decision than he expected.
Rule Changes Produced Unintended Results
- The Hall restructured voting to address perceived 'lowered standards', but the fix produced odd side effects.
- Ruiz noted the new system grouping coaches and seniors produced surprising exclusion like Belichick's.