Bill Belichick will not be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year and it looks like the quarterback who beat him in a pair of Super Bowls won’t be inducted either.
Ian O’Connor of TheAthletic.com reports that former Giants quarterback Eli Manning fell short of the votes needed to be elected. Manning is in his second year of eligibility as a modern era candidate for the Hall.
Given that Manning was on the ballot last year, the news is far less surprising to hear than that of Belichick’s fate in his first year of eligibility. The postseason performances that set up and earned Manning two Super Bowl MVPs for beating Belichick’s Patriots are the pillars of his candidacy while his more modest record in the regular season is seen as the chief argument against his election.
The full list of this year’s inductees will be revealed at next week’s NFL Honors. The 14 other finalists for election are Willie Anderson Drew Brees, Jahri Evans, Larry Fitzgerald, Frank Gore, Torry Holt, Luke Kuechly, Terrell Suggs, Adam Vinatieri, Reggie Wayne, Kevin Williams, Jason Witten, Darren Woodson, and Marshal Yanda.
