Bill Belichick is once again one of five coaching candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The longtime New England Patriots head coach is joined on the shortlist by Tom Coughlin, Mike Holmgren, Dan Reeves and Mike Shanahan. The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, announced the list Thursday.

The members of the coaching committee selected the five names from an initial group of 14 nominees. The committee will now choose one candidate to put forward to the Hall of Fame’s selection committee for enshrinement in the Class of 2027.

Bill Belichick Still Waiting for Hall of Fame Induction

All five coaches reached this stage of the process last year as well. Belichick advanced at the time but was not selected for induction in his first year of eligibility. His omission drew widespread criticism across the NFL.

“If he’s not a first-ballot Hall of Famer, there really shouldn’t be any coach who ever gets in on the first try… He’s incredible,” Tom Brady said.

Belichick and Brady won six Super Bowls together with the Patriots. Belichick also won two more titles as a defensive assistant with the New York Giants. His career also includes the scandal known as “Spygate,” which took place during the 2007 season. Belichick was fined $500,000 after the Patriots filmed the opposing defense’s signals during a game against the New York Jets.

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Belichick’s final season in New England was 2023. He is now in his second season as head coach at the University of North Carolina.

Five Coaches, One Spot in the Selection Process

Coughlin won two Super Bowls with the Giants, beating Belichick, Brady and the Patriots in both games. In 20 seasons with the Giants and the Jacksonville Jaguars, he posted a record of 182-157. He also won a title as an assistant coach with the Giants.

Holmgren led the Green Bay Packers to a Super Bowl victory and posted a 174-122 record, including the playoffs, in 17 seasons with the Packers and the Seattle Seahawks. He won two more titles as an assistant coach with the San Francisco 49ers.

Reeves posted a 201-174-2 record in 23 seasons with the Denver Broncos, the Giants and the Atlanta Falcons. He led Denver to the Super Bowl three times and Atlanta once, but went 0-4 in those appearances. Reeves won a title as an assistant coach with the Dallas Cowboys.

Shanahan won back-to-back Super Bowls with Denver and posted a 178-144 record in 20 seasons with the Broncos and the Washington Redskins. He also won a title as an assistant coach with the 49ers.

The Hall of Fame announced five candidates from the contributor category on Wednesday: Ralph Hay, Robert Kraft, Virginia McCaskey, Doug Williams and John Wooten. The final list will include one contributor, one coach and 13 modern-era players. It will first be trimmed to 10 candidates and then to seven. The 25-member selection committee can vote for six people, with each requiring 80 percent support. The Class of 2027 will be announced at the NFL Honors in Los Angeles in February and inducted in Canton in August.