Belichick Returns to Hall of Fame Coaching Finalists

Belichick, Mike Shanahan, Tom Coughlin, Dan Reeves and Mike Holmgren are the five coaches still in contention for a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2027 class. The Hall’s coaching panel chose them from 14 nominees and will advance one to the next stage of voting for the class, expected in early 2027.

All five reached this point last year. Belichick moved further along but did not secure election during his initial year of eligibility, prompting criticism across the NFL. He won six Super Bowls as New England’s head coach alongside quarterback Tom Brady, and two more as a Giants assistant. His career also included the 2007 Spygate scandal, which resulted in a $500,000 fine. Belichick left New England after the 2023 season and is now in his second year coaching at North Carolina.

As the Giants’ head coach, Coughlin claimed two Super Bowl titles, defeating Belichick and the Patriots in both. Holmgren won a championship with Green Bay and two as a 49ers assistant. Reeves took Denver to three Super Bowls and Atlanta to one, but his teams lost all four; he also won a title as a Dallas assistant. Shanahan led Denver to consecutive Super Bowl victories and won another championship as a San Francisco assistant.

The final group will comprise 15 candidates: one coach, one contributor and 13 modern-era players. It will be narrowed first to 10 and then to seven. A 25-member committee can elect six, with each candidate needing at least 80% support. Officials will reveal the class during February’s NFL Honors ceremony in Los Angeles, followed by induction in Canton the next August.