President Donald Trump used his preferred NFL slur to take a shot at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, after it overlooked his friend, legendary coach Bill Belichick.
Belichick won six Super Bowls as head coach of the New England Patriots and is widely regarded as one of the finest the game has ever seen. As such, his anticipated snub from the Hall of Fame on his first year of eligibility has sparked outrage.
But while players, including basketballer LeBron James and other public figures, merely criticized the decision, Trump leaped on the opportunity to weaponize it for his crusade against what he terms “sissy football.”
“It is the same mindset that gave pro football the new and unwatchable ‘Sissy’ Kickoff Rule, that made it possible for Bill Belichick to not be elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” he fumed on Truth Social. “Both are ridiculous and should be overturned!”
Trump has repeatedly raged against changes to the National Football League’s kickoff rule, designed in part to improve player safety and reduce injuries.
Spewing about it in September on his personal social platform, he said, “The NFL has to get rid of that ridiculous looking new Kickoff Rule,” adding, “How can they make such a big and sweeping change so easily and quickly. It’s at least as dangerous as the ‘normal’ kickoff, and looks like hell. The ball is moving, and the players are not, the exact opposite of what football is all about. ‘Sissy’ football is bad for America, and bad for the NFL!”
He noted, “Fortunately, college football will remain the same, hopefully forever!!”
The 2026 inductees to the Hall of Fame are due to be announced on February 5 at the NFL Honors in San Francisco, but Belichick will not be among them, according to a report from ESPN on Tuesday, citing several anonymous sources.
The North Carolina Tar Heels head coach’s omission led leading sports figures to protest, including Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who called it, “Insane… don’t even understand how this could be possible.”
L.A. Lakers star James, too, was aghast, saying, “Man there’s no way I read that right! Right? Ain’t no WAY Bill Belichick ain’t 1st Ballot HOF!! That’s IMPOSSIBLE, EGREGIOUS, and quite frankly DISRESPECTFUL!”
Belichick, who is 73 and whose girlfriend Jordon Hudson is 24, took over the Patriots in 2000 and, over 18 years, led them to nine Super Bowls, winning six.
Trump and Belichick’s relationship has been well documented, with the coach writing him a letter during his 2016 election campaign, which Trump later read on stage, the New York Post reports.
The Daily Beast has contacted the Pro Hall of Fame for comment.
