Lost in the outrage over Bill Belichick getting snubbed by Hall of Fame voters is a pretty big subplot: We weren't supposed to know about it at all, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
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The Hall of Fame selection process is built on secrecy. No leaks. No early tips. No "almost made it" sympathy tours. The official announcement isn't until next Thursday.
So naturally... the news got out anyway.
The obvious question: Who leaked it?
ESPN's Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham broke the story, and frankly, good for them. Sports journalism is too often built on handshakes and five-minute embargo favors. This was actual reporting — uncovering something the Hall of Fame definitely didn't want public, as Florio notes.
And let's be honest, this almost certainly traces back to Belichick's camp.
Whether or not he personally violated any NDA, it's clear he told people, Florio writes. Those people then talked. ESPN quoted sources describing Belichick as "puzzled" and "disappointed," including gems like:
- "Six Super Bowls isn't enough?"
- "What does a guy have to do?"
Not exactly subtle.
And here's the funny part: The leak might actually help Belichick.
After a weird year filled with PR turbulence (from the Hard Knocks saga to coaching uncertainty) this turns him into the wronged legend. The disrespected icon. The guy voters somehow screwed over.
Will it land him an NFL job with the Raiders or Cardinals at the last second? Probably not.
But it did flip the narrative.
And in Belichick's world, winning the narrative battle might be the closest thing to a victory this week.
