Bill Belichick could be eligible to be selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026 instead of 2029 following significant changes made to the selection process. The Hall of Fame announced the new rules that were approved by the Board of Directors on Friday. They go into effect immediately, including reducing the waiting period for coaches to be considered from five years out of the game to one year.
That would make six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach Belichick eligible to be selected for the 2026 class after he parted ways with the New England Patriots after last season. The new rules also could speed up the process for another Super Bowl-winning coach, Seattle's Pete Carroll, who also was replaced after the 2023 season. Belichick and Carroll would have to wait again if they get hired by another team in the offseason.
The Hall of Fame also made several other changes, including splitting the coach and contributor categories, adding new screening committees to review the full list of nominees for players from the modern era and seniors category and requiring between one and three people picked each year out of the five nominees for seniors, coaches and contributors. The process for picking the class of 2025 will begin soon when new 11-person screening committees made up of Hall of Famers, former front office executives, football historians and media members will reduce the list of nominees to 50 candidates for the modern era and seniors category. None of the 22 people .