It all started when legendary former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick failed to become a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and the situation has only spiraled downward since then, with multiple HOF snubs. Former Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Torry Holt was the latest legend to miss out on the Golden Jacket, and he made his frustration known.

“I’m disappointed, but I’m not discouraged,” he said on the Up & Adams with Kay Adams Show. “My resume hasn’t changed, and the film doesn’t lie. I was the most productive wide receiver of the 2000s. I have a ton of that Hall of Fame 2026 class—immense respect for those guys. But I belong in that room with them.”

Holt has gotten used to the wait, with this being his 12th year of eligibility and his seventh as a finalist. There is every reason for him to be frustrated about the snub, considering he was one of the most explosive wide receivers the game has ever seen, and the numbers back that idea.

Over 11 NFL seasons, Holt posted eight 1,000-yard campaigns, led the league in receiving yards twice and in receptions once, finishing his career with 920 catches for 13,382 yards and 74 touchdowns across 173 games, earning seven Pro Bowl selections. A resume like that usually gets inducted into Canton.

When the 15 finalists were announced, there was a sense that this might finally be the year, but the competition was rather intense, with Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly, Adam Vinatieri, and Roger Craig being the final five selections, leaving Holt on the outside yet again.

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Part of the disappointment is the era he represents, as he was a central piece of the Rams’ “Greatest Show on Turf,” alongside Marshall Faulk, Kurt Warner, and Isaac Bruce, all of whom are now HOFers except for Holt. Although time hasn’t erased what he accomplished, time is ticking for the Rams legend.

Can Torry Holt become a HOFer next year?

Torry Holt is certainly eligible to become a Hall of Famer next year, but if he didn’t make it this year, it’s rather unlikely that he’ll make it in 2027, considering that next year’s ballot is expected to include first-year eligible names such as Adrian Peterson, Ben Roethlisberger, and Rob Gronkowski.

First-year candidates often carry momentum, and all three bring resumes that are undoubtedly worthy of induction. It naturally raises a broader question about the Hall of Fame voting process, since this year’s class left several accomplished players waiting again, and the frustration isn’t limited to Holt.

Former offensive lineman Willie Anderson, now in his 13th year of eligibility, spoke openly about the structure of the selection process after the announcements were made in Canton.

“Seeing the joy on Roger Craig’s face brought a tear, but it also calls for attention the pressure voters were put under regarding the usual number of 8 players inducted like in previous years before 2025,” he wrote on X. “Before Hall of Famers complained too many guys were getting in.”

“Just saying I wish the people who put the pressure on the Voters make a statement and take that pressure off the voters and return it back to its original amount of inductees,” he added.

By rule, the Hall allows up to eight modern-era inductees, but recently, the numbers have been tighter, with four in 2025 and five this year. With talent from multiple eras overlapping on the ballot, fewer available spots only heighten the competition, leading to controversial snubs, which only puts the credibility of the Hall of Fame under scrutiny.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame revealed its Class of 2026 on Thursday, February 5, and the biggest surprise came fast. Bill Belichick didn’t get in on his first try, despite a résumé stacked with eight Super Bowl rings from his time with the New England Patriots. Soon after, reports made it clear why.

Some voters couldn’t look past the controversies like Spygate and Deflategate that followed his dynasty years. The Spygate scandal is a 2007 controversy in which Belichick and the Patriots were disciplined for illegally videotaping opponents’ sidelines.

Then there was Robert Kraft, who also got passed over on the same ballot. With limited slots and tough choices, a few voters said they leaned toward candidates with smaller windows instead. So for now, Belichick waits, and the debate, clearly, is not over.

It remains to be seen if a change comes into the picture next year.