Robert Kraft is among those offended by former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick's reported failure to make it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his first go-round, according to a statement he released to the Associated Press Wednesday.
"Whatever perceptions may exist about any personal differences between Bill and me, I strongly believe Bill Belichick’s record and body of work speak for themselves," the New England owner reportedly said, in the statement shared by the outlet.
"As head coach of the New England Patriots for more than two decades, he set the standard for on-field excellence, preparation, and sustained success in the free agency and salary cap era of The National Football League," he said. "He is the greatest coach of all time and he unequivocally deserves to be a unanimous first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer."
A separate report from ESPN Tuesday broke the news that Belichick did not garner the necessary votes to be a first-ballot inductee in 2026. Many former players and coaches have come out to condemn the vote and ask for Hall of Fame voters to identify themselves and how they voted.
Robert Kraft remains a finalist for the Hall.
Belichick's failed first quest was further complicated by a unnamed source within the Hall who told ESPN that Bill Polian told other voters Belichick should wait a gap year before being let in, noting scandals that plagued his six-ring-winning career with the Patriots, such as 'Spygate.'
Polian has since denied that allegation to ESPN, in a subsequent interview. The inductees will be announced next week, ahead of Super Bowl LX.