SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Bill Belichick has company. Sources confirm that Robert Kraft has not been admitted to the Hall of Fame’s class of 2026. A first-time finalist, as was his former coach, there were some who thought this was Kraft’s year. But he did not get the required 40 votes (out of 50) to earn enshrinement.
In a weekend interview on CNBC’s Squawk Box, Kraft tried to downplay the importance of his own inclusion in the Hall, saying in part, “What matters to me is we win Sunday. That’s a function of how the team we’re invested in and organize [is judged].”
However, we know that flies in the face of the team’s recent efforts to sway voters in Kraft’s direction (although they have been less public about courting voters).
“I would just say that that’s unfortunate,” Mike Vrabel said at his press conference Tuesday morning. “I would say that in my experiences with Robert, (he) is more than deserving, and he’ll be in the Hall of Fame. I’m just not in charge of deciding when that happens.
“And so I appreciate the relationship that I’ve had with him and the success as a player and now as a coach. So he’s done everything that we’ve needed and provided the support that we’ve needed as a staff and as a team. So I’m glad that he’s back here and continuing to help us do things that will help the team win and ultimately allow him to be recognized.”
You certainly can’t tell the story of the NFL, especially over the last quarter-century, without prominently featuring the Patriots. Their six Super Bowl titles – all earned between 2001 and 2019 – match the Steelers’ all-time total. But the new voting process, introduced in 2025, pits owners against coaches against senior players. Between 1 and 3 of the 5 finalists can earn a spot and will go into the Hall alongside three to five modern-era players.
“Bill Belichick’s record goes without saying, same with the Patriots and Robert Kraft, who is also a candidate,” Roger Goodell said on Monday (before the Kraft news was leaked). “They are spectacular. They have contributed so much to this game, and I believe they will be Hall of Famers.”
Just not this summer. And considering how long they’ve kept Kraft waiting, maybe not anytime soon.
In the 2023 NFL Draft, just three picks separated Christian Gonzalez and Jaxson Smith-Njigba. Gonzalez went 17th overall to New England (after they traded back), while Smith-Njigba went 20th to Seattle. Fast forward to this Sunday, when that matchup could very well decide the Super Bowl. I’d say this has worked out pretty well for both sides, wouldn’t you?
The Pats have given no indication of how they’ll approach JSN. Nor should they (hello, competitive advantage). Gonzalez told me “of course” when I asked if he would want to shadow the Seahawks #1 receiver, but added that he’ll do whatever is asked. Per FTN, Gonzalez has only matched up with the team’s top pass catcher on 26% of the snaps this season. That’s a career low (though his rookie season was cut way short by injury).
There’s also the trickle-down effect to consider were the Pats to buck their season-long formula and let Gonzalez go mano a mano with JSN. For instance, Carlton Davis has only taken
