Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick’s first year of Hall of Fame eligibility ended with an outcome few expected, and the fallout has now carried into a major overhaul of the people who decide who gets into Canton.
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Longtime NFL writer and Pro Football Hall of Fame selector Gary Myers confirmed on X that he will remain on the Hall’s newly reconfigured 28-member committee, down from 50. His retention stands out because Myers publicly revealed that he voted for Belichick after he missed out on making the Hall of Fame earlier this year.
“I’m honored to be asked to remain on the reconfigured/smaller @ProFootballHOF selection committee,” Myers wrote. “This will be my 18th season as a voter. I’ve been covering the @NFL since 1978. I feel badly for my friends not asked to continue. Btw, yes, I voted for Bill Belichick in January,” Myers wrote on X.
Belichick was one of five finalists in the combined Seniors/Coach/Contributor category, alongside former Patriots owner Robert Kraft and players Ken Anderson, Roger Craig, and L.C. Greenwood. Under the old rules, each of the 50 voters could only choose three of those five names, and Belichick fell short of the 80% support needed, with only Craig ultimately getting enshrined.
According to Tennessee Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky, who revealed that he was among those cut, 25 former selectors have now been identified as departures from the committee, including Hall of Famers Tony Dungy and Bill Polian, along with longtime reporters John McClain, Lisa Salters, Matt Maiocco, Rich Cimini, Mary Kay Cabot, John McClain, and many more.
Myers is among the selectors expected to remain, alongside Charean Williams, Calvin Watkins, Jim Trotter, Jeff Legwold, Ira Kaufman, Howard Balzer, Vahe Gregorian, Mike Sando, Lindsay Jones and Eric Williams.
Polian’s exit is particularly interesting because his name became entangled in the Belichick controversy. A report said Polian had discussed the idea of making Belichick wait another year because of Spygate. Polian denied that he had lobbied voters against Belichick and said he voted for him. The Hall later confirmed that Polian’s ballot did, in fact, include Belichick.
Maiocco, who spent 10 years on the committee, later confirmed that he had voted for Belichick and Robert Kraft.
“Always voted for the individuals I believed were the most deserving,” Maiocco wrote.
Meanwhile, Gregorian remains on the committee despite acknowledging that he did not vote for Belichick. Gregorian explained that the previous format required voters to select three candidates from the combined Seniors, Coach, and Contributor group, influencing how he approached his ballot.
The voting format has now changed. All eligible players will be considered together in a single pool, with coaches and contributors placed in separate categories. The 80% approval requirement remains, while the Hall says the changes came after a 2½-year review of its selection process.