‘Good Riddance!’ ‘Deserved Punishment’ — NFL Fans React as 2 Super Bowl Champions Are Removed From Hall of Fame Voting After ‘Unforgivable Mistake’
‘Good Riddance!’ ‘Deserved Punishment’ — NFL Fans React as 2 Super Bowl Champions Are Removed From Hall of Fame Voting After ‘Unforgivable Mistake’
Abhilasha Aditi Thu, September 17, 2026 at 7:07 AM UTC
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A NFL shield logo on the field.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame has changed how its selection committee is going to look, and the timing has brought renewed scrutiny to one of the most debated decisions in its recent history.
The committee is being reduced significantly after some uproar over Bill Belichick missing out on the Class of 2026, creating another round of discussion about how Hall of Fame voters should evaluate football’s biggest figures.
Tony Dungy and Bill Polian Among Voters Removed
The Hall of Fame is moving from a 50-member selection committee to 25 voting members and three non-voting members. The restructuring also removes guaranteed seats for writers representing each NFL market and changes how candidate presentations are handled.
Yahoo Sports reported that Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy and Hall of Fame executive Bill Polian are among those no longer serving as selectors. Longtime voters John McClain and Frank Cooney were also removed after 33 years on the committee, while Lisa Salters and several other selectors were among those affected.
The changes came after Belichick, a six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach, failed to receive enough votes for the 2026 class.
For his part, Hall of Fame President Jim Porter said the timing of the changes was coincidental (going on for the last two and a half years). Reports and fan reactions, however, have connected the committee overhaul to the controversy surrounding Belichick’s omission.
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One fan described the situation as a major failure for the Hall, writing on X, “The Belichick incident was an unforgivable mistake. The Pro Football HOF had to clean house in order to save their reputation.”
The reaction soon became more personal toward Dungy and Polian. Another fan wrote, “Two absolute clowns and jokes of men. Hatred deep in their hearts, glad the HOF committee did the right thing.”
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Not every reaction focused specifically on the former Colts figures. One fan instead referenced the Patriots’ controversial history, writing, “Clear the way for the cheaters to join! We will remember the Pats saga as a dark, dirty era of football!”
The discussion then returned to the voting decision itself. “Deserved punishment after not voting in Belichick,” one fan wrote.
Another offered a much shorter response to the committee shake-up: “Good riddance!”
Fans also pointed to Dungy and Polian’s own Hall of Fame credentials while arguing that their roles as selectors created a different standard.
One wrote, “Two guys, both deserving HOFers themselves, who let their personal feelings and jealousy stop them from doing the right thing and letting Bill Belichick take his rightful place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame can’t vote anymore. Good. I see no problem here.”
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The strongest reaction invoked Belichick’s coaching record and criticized the reported handling of his candidacy.
“Hallelujah. I don’t care what you think about Bill Belichick; what he did as a coach for the Patriots makes him a Hall of Fame coach by any conceivable measure. What Dungy conspired to do and did was akin to a criminal act. He and Polian should be outcasts in the game.”
The Hall’s restructuring now leaves a smaller voting group, while the debate surrounding Belichick’s exclusion continues to shape discussion about the selection process.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
Source: “AOL Sports”
