A second Pro Football Hall of Fame voter has admitted to passing on Bill Belichick.
FOX59/CBS4 Sports reporter Mike Chappell, who has covered the Colts for more than four decades, said his non-Belichick vote came down to a choice between the head coach and someone who was very close to the to him during his days in New England.
“As one of 50 selectors, I voted FOR Robert Kraft, the long-time and accomplished New England Patriots owner,” Chappell wrote in a column on Thursday. “I did not vote AGAINST Bill Belichick, the long-time and accomplished head coach of that dynasty. I realize that’s a difference without a distinction, but I’m comfortable with my decision.”
Chappell is the second of at least 11 voters who didn’t put Belichick on their ballot to go public, joining the Kansas City Star’s Vahe Gregorian.
Like Gregorian, the Hall’s voting process, which forced committee members to choose up to three names from a group consisting of Belichick, Kraft, and “senior” members Ken Anderson, Roger Craig and L.C. Greenwood, was part of Chappell’s reasoning.
Chappell said he used two of his votes on senior candidates who might be facing their final chance at making it into Canton, Ohio, and was then left to decide on Belichick and Kraft.
In the end, the latter won out, and Chappell took the time to lay out the reasons why.
“Kraft’s role in building the Patriots dynasty beginning in 1994 AND his undeniable role in helping negotiate the end of the 100-play-day work stoppage in 2011 — while his wife was gravely ill — that has resulted in long-standing labor peace,” Chappell wrote of his pro-Kraft stance. “He’s also been involved behind the scenes in bolstering the NFL’s ever-increasing TV revenue.”
One big thing was working against Belichick in Chappell’s eyes — Spygate.
“There’s no erasing the stain of Spygate from his bio,” he wrote. “This wasn’t alleged behavior. The NFL fined Belichick $500,000 — the maximum allowed — along with docking the Patriots $250,000 and a first-round draft pick for illegally videotaping New York Jets signals in 2007.”
Even with all the scandals, Chappell said Belichick is still a Hall of Famer, just not over his former boss.
“This year’s decision in no way insinuates Belichick isn’t Hall of Fame-worthy,” Chappell added. “Of course he is. I believe he makes it next year. Will that mean his gold jacket isn’t as bold had he been selected in his first year of eligibility? Of course not.”