Robert Kraft Comes To Bill Belichick’s Defense Over Hall Of Fame Snub

Bill Belichick reportedly will have to wait for his enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Belichick, who is an eight-time Super Bowl champion thanks to his spectacular stints as defensive coordinator of the New York Giants and head coach of the New England Patriots, fell short for induction during his first year of eligibility, according to ESPN’s Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham.

It’s safe to say that struck a nerve with some people…

Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes and LeBron James are just some of many sporting legends to come to the all-time great’s defense, but they’re nowhere near the most interesting.

Robert Kraft threw his support behind the man who many believe he fired two years ago in a statement to ESPN’s Mike Reiss on Wednesday.

“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,” Kraft said. “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 and Belichick’s current relationship can most closely be described as shaky, as the former has gone back and forth with his description of the end of the latter’s tenure as head coach in New England — though this isn’t the first time he has been outwardly supportive of his former head coach.

Kraft, alongside former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson, former San Francisco 49ers running back Roger Craig, and former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman L.C. Greenwood, are among those in the coaching/contributor/senior categories up for consideration for enshrinement.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame allows voters to choose just three people from those categories, which helps explain the fact that Belichick did not receive the 40 of 50 votes necessary for enshrinement. Kraft’s fate will be revealed next week.