Tom Brady makes first public comments on Bill Belichick's reported Hall of Fame snub: 'I don't understand it'
Legendary New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady isn't a fan of the report that Bill Belichick was not inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Brady made his first public comments on the situation Wednesday, saying he didn't understand the argument for keeping Belichick out of the Hall of Fame.
Brady was asked about the reported snub during an appearance on the "Brock & Salk" radio show in Seattle.
His full response read:
"I don't understand it. 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 first-ballot Hall of Famer, which is completely ridiculous because people deserve it.
"He's incredible. There's no coach I'd rather play for. If I'm picking one coach to go out there to win a Super Bowl, give me one season, I'm taking Bill Belichick. So, that's enough said.
"Outside of that, when it comes down to votes and popularity and all that, welcome to the world of voting. You may as well go try out for the Oscars or whatever and get a big panel to tell you if you're good or not. It's the way it works, unfortunately.
"He's gonna get into the Hall of Fame, and I'm not worried about that. A lot of times in life, for all of us, things don't happen exactly how you want them on your timeline. But we'll all be there to celebrate him when it does happen. He's gonna have a huge turnout from so many players, coaches that appreciated everything he did and the commitment that he made to winning and the impact he had on all our lives. And it will be a great celebration when it happens."
In that clip, Brady does not address Spygate, the scandal that may have resulted in Belichick being snubbed by the Pro Football Hall of Fame voters. The ESPN report that revealed Belichick's snub cited Spygate as a potential reason Belichick did not make it during the first year in which he was eligible. That report alleged former Indianapolis Colts president Bill Polian suggested Belichick wait a year for induction as penance for the scandal.
Polian refuted that report Tuesday. While Polian initially said he supported Belichick's candidacy and voted for him, he later clarified that he wasn't sure whether he voted for Belichick.
This story will be updated.