The upcoming Super Bowl featuring the Buffalo Bills’ rivals is a much-too-early reminder of what Bills Mafia endured for the first 20 years of the millennium. While the Bills sat at home through a 17-year playoff drought, Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots were marching to one Super Bowl after another.
And now, they’re back in it just a few years after the end of the Brady-Belichick era. Patriots fans surely expected to pay homage to that era during Super Bowl week with the inevitable announcement that Belichick was heading to Canton as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
But, former Bills GM Bill Polian and enough voters on the selection committee reportedly stonewalled arguably the greatest coach in league history from assuming the honor.
Former Bills GM Bill Polian tied to stunning Hall of Fame setback for Patriots' Bill Belichick
According to an anonymous source via ESPN, Polian reportedly said Belichick should “‘wait a year’ as penance for SpyGate”. In that same ESPN report, Polian denied the allegation, though he wouldn’t say for certain whether he voted for Belichick.
"I was shocked to learn Bill didn't get in," Polian said. "He deserves to be in the Hall of Fame."
Polian said he was “95% sure” he voted for the six-time Super Bowl champion, but nonetheless, Belichick fell short of the 40 of 50 votes he needed to join the 2026 class. Polian also told ESPN that he was certain he voted for Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who’s also vying for a spot in Canton in the same category as his former head coach.
Polian reportedly defended Kraft while the committee discussed the cheating allegations against the franchise during the dynastic era, including SpyGate and DeflateGate.
Of course, Polian was the Bills’ general manager long before Belichick was hired in New England. Polian was hired by Buffalo in 1986. In his first season, Buffalo went 4-12, and within three years, the Bills were in the AFC Championship. Polian was fired after the Bills fell short in the Super Bowl for the third season in a row in 1993.
After a stint in Carolina, Polian took charge of the Indianapolis Colts’ roster during the early Manning years, and before long, Polian was back in a rivalry with the Patriots.
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At this point, the scenario is Polian’s words against those of anonymous voters. Polian not remembering if he voted for Belichick is a detail in that aspect that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Belichick is a polarizing figure, and the cheating allegations that paired with his Patriots throughout their empire-like run over the NFL for 20+ seasons no doubt dampen the luster on his bust in Canton once it’s carved. Still, it’s a tough look for the Pro Football Hall of Fame to forego making him a first-ballot inductee, and it’s sure to have ramifications down the line one way or another.
Still, Bills fans know he’ll get in eventually, so they can get their jabs in while they can as payback for the years of torment Belichick’s Patriots put the Mafia through.