Amid the hysteria surrounding thesnub heard 'round the world, let's rememberBill Belichickwill get another crack at theHall of Fame. This will iron out, and Belichick eventually will gain enshrinement in Canton.
In the meantime, Belichick can cast his sights on another Hall of Fame. The one in Atlanta. That's the College Football Hall of Fame.
You might be thinking, "Isn't Belichick 73 years old? How's he going to build a College Hall of Fame resume?"
Age is just a number, folks. Curt Cignetti's number is 64, and he's college football's new overlord.
Jan. 19, 2026: TV analyst Bill Belichick watches the Miami Hurricanes play the Indiana Hoosiers during the first half of the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. The NFL world is still reeling from the news that former New England Patriots head coach and six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick will not be a first-ballot entrant into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.Among those the most surprised is Belichick's former quarterback that led all six of his Super Bowl champion Patriots teams: Tom Brady. "I don't understand it. I mean, I was with him every day. If he's not a first-ballot Hall of Famer, there's really no coach that should ever be a Hall of Famer," said Brady, the five-time Super Bowl MVP and current Fox Sports broadcaster, in an interview with Seattle Sports.
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See Bill Belichick's football life in photos
Jan. 19, 2026: TV analystBill Belichickwatches the Miami Hurricanes play the Indiana Hoosiers during the first half of the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. The NFL world is still reeling from the news that formerNew England Patriotshead coach and six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick will not be a first-ballot entrant into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Among those the most surprised is Belichick's former quarterback that led all six of his Super Bowl champion Patriots teams: Tom Brady. "I don't understand it. I mean, I was with him every day. If he's not a first-ballot Hall of Famer, there's really no coach that should ever be a Hall of Famer," said Brady, the five-time Super Bowl MVP and current Fox Sports broadcaster, in an interview with Seattle Sports.
Anyway, what else does Belichick have to occupy his time but college football? How manyqueen pageantscan one man stomach?
It's not like he's a threat to head back to the NFL. The Shield is finished with him. If we needed convincing Belichick's NFL days are but a memory, we got evidence this offseason.
Several NFL jobs opened. None of those organizations hired Belichick.
Beli belongs to the college game now and into the future. His march toward college enshrinement began with a 4-8 season for Chapel Bill.
OK, so that's a rough start, right? Well, no worse than Belichick's 6-10 debut with the Cleveland Browns in 1991.
Consider 2025 a launch point — both for Jordon Hudson'scareer as a Svengali, and for Belichick's pursuit of induction into the hallowed halls in Atlanta.
Word is, some Canton voters were turned off from Belichick because of the Spygate and Deflategate scandals that occurred on his watch. Pfft, those killjoys wouldn't last a minute in the college game. The NCAA's morality police are out to pasture. This here is a land for living in the gray.
Michigan would consider deflating a few footballs child's play.
And if you want tosteal somebody's quarterback, no problem. Just make sure to stage the plunder with a wad of cash in hand.
As for Belichick's dating choices, well, he's neverwrecked a motorcyclewith a staff member who doubled as a mistress along for the ride.
Belichick dating a 24-year-old seems quite trivial when you consider Michigan's former coach faces a felony charge andallegations that he terrorized his ex-mistress, and Ohio fired its coach while citinghis romantic relationship with a student.
Belichick is but a saint in this hotbed of sin we call college football.
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He evendipped off to Nantucketfor a hand-holding adventure with his girlfriend, while in the heat of college football season. How's that for a good boyfriend?
Now, Belichick just needs to win some games, because we tolerate a lot in college football, but there's no stomach for losing.
We've seen just how easily Belichick can ignite. All he needs is 20 seasons with one quarterback named Brady, plus a few spy cams, and he can turn an otherwise unremarkable coaching career into GOAT status.
Now, if only he could find another quarterback like the chin-dimpled glory boy.
That shouldn't be hard, right? It's not as if he must develop a quarterback. Buy one from the transfer market. That's the beauty of the college game.
Only, Belichick isn't having much luck practicing the plundering arts. His first attempt at a transfer quarterback went splat. Gio Lopez, fresh from South Alabama, withered at UNC. TheTar Heels' latest round of portal shopping includes a pair of unheralded former backup quarterbacks.
C'mon, Beli. This isn't that hard. Find arich booster. Smile, shake his hand, have a meal with him, award him a spot on your speed dial, and get access to his checkbook. Then, make a purchase.
Belichick, perhaps wanting to show he's not an NFL flight risk, seems intent on playing the long game. Entering the second year ofa five-year deal at UNC, his staff hasasked for patienceas Belichick hatches his plan.
You can't rush greatness. Well, Curt Cignetti can, but Cig didn't have to worry about protecting GOAT status, did he?
Belichick is taking the scenic route to success. While UNC's peers fueled up on proven transfers, Belichick signed a modestly rated portal haul.
Instead of buying plug-and-play problem solvers, Belichick signed 38 high school prospects. The majority were three-star recruits.
What better way for Belichick to prove he can develop talent?
It's only a matter time before it crystalizes that Belichick is charting a course for enshrinement in Atlanta.
Or, maybe not. Better chance he'll one day head to Canton, with a UNC buyout check in hand.
Blake Toppmeyeris the USA TODAY Network's senior national college football columnist. Email him atBToppmeyer@gannett.comand follow him on X@btoppmeyer.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:As NFL snubs Bill Belichick, he must be made for college Hall of Fame
