After significant changes in the selection process, Bill Belichick may not be selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame until 2026 instead of 2029.
The Hall of Fame announced the new rules, which were approved by the board on Friday. They take effect immediately and, among other things, reduce the waiting period for coaches to be inducted into the Hall of Fame from five years to one year.
This would make six-time Super Bowl winner Belichick, head coach, eligible for the 2026 class after parting ways with the New England Patriots after last season.
The new rules could also speed up the process for another Super Bowl-winning coach, Seattle’s Pete Carroll, who was also replaced after the 2023 season. Belichick and Carroll would have to wait again if they are hired by another team in the offseason.
The Hall of Fame also made numerous other changes, including separating the coach and contributor categories, establishing new selection committees to review the full list of nominees for modern-era players and the senior category, and requiring that between one and three people be selected each year from the five nominees for seniors, coaches and contributors.
The selection process for the Class of 2025 will begin soon, when new 11-member selection committees comprised of Hall of Fame members, former front-office executives, football historians and media representatives will whittle down the list of nominees to 50 candidates for the Modern Era and Senior categories. None of the 22 members of those committees will serve on the selection committee that votes on who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in early 2025.
The full selection committee will narrow the list of modern-day candidates to 25 semifinalists before the final vote in November and 15 finalists in December.
This year’s top freshmen include Eli Manning, Luke Kuechly, Marshall Yanda, Marshawn Lynch and Terrell Suggs.
A distinguished committee made up of seven members of the full selection committee and two additional individuals, who could be Hall of Fame members, historians or others with extensive football knowledge, will whittle down the list and ultimately select three finalists.
There will be similar high-level committees, each selecting one coach and one contributor, who will then be considered by the full selection committee.
The selection committee then meets before the Super Bowl to discuss the 20 finalists from the four groups. The required approval of 80% of voters is needed for them to be selected. Between three and five modern candidates are selected and between one and three people are selected from the five nominees of senior (three), coach (one) and contributor (one).
This will result in classes consisting of four to eight new inductees each year, with the Hall estimating that five or six will likely be selected.
“Creating two selection committees will allow for additional discussion of candidates with input from additional Hall of Famers,” Hall of Fame President and CEO Jim Porter said in a statement. “And splitting the Coach and Contributor categories will allow for one finalist to be selected from each category. The most important thing is to continue to select great inductees, and these steps will help ensure the desired outcome.”
FILE – Former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll speaks during a media availability Jan. 10, 2024, at the NFL football team’s headquarters in Renton, Wash. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson, File)