Tom Brady, Robert Kraft react to Bill Belichick Hall of Fame snub

The football world was rocked on Tuesday night when it was reported that legendary New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was not voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2026, in his first year of eligibility. Reactions since have been wide-reaching, but on Wednesday the two individuals perhaps most tied to Belichick from a football standpoint - quarterback Tom Brady and team owner Robert Kraft - shared their reactions.

In an appearance on Seattle radio program Brock & Salk, Brady didn't hold back in his assessment of the vote.

"I don't understand it," Brady said. "I was with him every day. If he's not a first ballot Hall of Famer, there's really no coach that should ever be a first ballot Hall of Famer - which is completely ridiculous because people deserve it. He's incredible. There's no coach I'd rather play for. If I'm picking one coach to go out there to win a Super Bowl, give me one season, I'm taking Bill Belichick."

"When it comes down to votes and popularity and all that, welcome to the world of voting," Brady continued. "You may as well go try out for the Oscars or whatever and get a big panel to tell you if you're good or not. It's the way it works, unfortunately."

Brady did add that he believes Belichick will get his shot, something he's looking forward to celebrating with his former head coach.

"He's going to get into the Hall of Fame. I'm not worried about that," Brady said. "A lot of times in life, for all of us, things don't happen exactly how you want or on your timeline. But we'll all be there to celebrate him when it does happen. He's gonna have a huge turnout from so many players, coaches that appreciate everything that he did and the commitment that he made to winning, and the impact that he had on all of our lives. And that will be a great celebration when it happens."

Also on Tuesday, Kraft released a statement regarding Belichick's omission. Just like Brady, he left little room for interpretation.

“Whatever perceptions may exist about any personal differences between Bill and me, I strongly believe Bill Belichick’s record and body of work speak for themselves," the statement reads. "As head coach of the New England Patriots for more than two decades, he set the standard for on-field excellence, preparation, and sustained success in the free agency and salary cap era of the National Football League. He is the greatest coach of all time and he unequivocally deserves to be a unanimous first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer.”

Kraft himself is also a finalist this year. His status in the voting has not been reported. The full Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 will be revealed on Thursday, Feb. 5 as part of NFL Honors.

Belichick, Brady, and Kraft spent almost 20 years together leading the Patriots on arguably the most successful run in NFL history. During that tenure the team appeared in nine Super Bowls, winning six. From 2001-2019 the Patriots went 262-83 between the regular season and playoffs, giving them 51 more wins than the next-closest team.