Former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning said he was surprised that former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick did not enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame with the Class of 2026. Manning, who also did not make the class in his second year eligible, shared his views in an interview with ClutchPoints.
Feb 2, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; NFC coach Eli Manning reacts during the Tug of War event at the 2025 Pro Bowl Games at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Feb 2, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; NFC coach Eli Manning reacts during the Tug of War event at the 2025 Pro Bowl Games at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
“Bill Belichick not making the Hall of Fame is pretty shocking,” Manningsaid. “You have one of, if not maybe the greatest coach of all time, and what he built there in New England, and the amount of Super Bowls they went to, and AFC championships, let alone just the amount that they won, it was incredible. I can’t imagine a more deserving coach to make it in the Hall of Fame than him.”
Eli Manning spoke earlier to Front Office Sports about why Belichick might have missed the cut. “You win that many years, you probably have some people that did not like him because he was beating them, or beating their team, or doing those things, which is unfortunate that he’s not being rewarded for all his great success that he had,” Manning said.
He added that he expects Belichick to join the Hall of Fame in the future, but he is less certain about his own entry.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 includes Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly, Adam Vinatieri, and Roger Craig. Belichick received 39 votes from the 50-member committee, one short of the 40 needed. The Hall of Fame plans to review its voting process after the decision.
Eli Manning reflects on his own Hall of Fame wait
Eli Manning defeated Belichick’s Patriots in two Super Bowls, XLII and XLVI, and earned MVP awards in both games. Over his career, Manning passed for more than 57,000 yards and 366 touchdowns. He has reached the final 15 candidates in the past two years but not the final 10 this time.
Manning said he does not think much about his own snub. “I really don’t, I don’t think about it,” he toldForbes. “When I think about my time with the Giants, it’s all positive stuff and it’s about friendships and relationships with players and coaches and ownership and winning championships and the fans and what it meant for me.”
Belichick won six Super Bowls as head coach of the Patriots and has 333 total wins as an NFL head coach. He now coaches the North Carolina Tar Heels. Both Manning and Belichick remain eligible for future classes.