Rivalries in the NFL can be intense, especially when championships are on the line. But sometimes, even the fiercest competitors can step back and recognize greatness when they see it. Marshawn Lynch knows a thing or two about going head-to-head with dominant teams, and few figures cast a bigger shadow over the league for two decades than Bill Belichick.
So when the latest Hall of Fame discussions started making the rounds, the reaction from Lynch wasn’t what many expected. Instead of indifference, there was confusion, even frustration, about how one of the most decorated figures in modern football could find himself outside the conversation.
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Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll talks with Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (24)Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
(Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images)
On a recent episode of the “Get Got” podcast, Marshawn Lynch didn’t hold back when the topic of Bill Belichick and the Hall of Fame came up. Asked about Belichick not being included, Lynch made it clear he was genuinely frustrated. In his own colorful way, he questioned how someone who’s won six Super Bowls as head coach and reshaped the modern game could possibly be left out of the conversation.
Lynch essentially boiled it down to one simple point: if six championships don’t qualify you, what does? Hearing him speak so passionately about a former rival coach was striking. It wasn’t about team loyalties or old battles it was about respect. And the way Lynch defended Belichick showed just how much admiration he has for what the longtime Patriots coach accomplished in the league.
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At the end of the day, even if Bill Belichick didn’t get the nod this time around, it feels more like a delay than a denial. With everything he’s accomplished in the NFL, it’s hard to imagine a future where he isn’t eventually standing on that stage in a gold jacket. Six Super Bowl titles and decades of dominance don’t just fade away. Sooner or later, the Hall of Fame moment is going to happen it’s just a question of when, not if.
Related: Bill Belichick, North Carolina Make Decision to Sign 3,500-Yard Quarterback
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.