Emmitt Smith shares passionate response to Tom Brady Hall of Fame talk after Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft snubs

Hall of Famer Terrell Owens is among the noteworthy members of the football community who have suggested that living legend Tom Brady shouldn't be a first-ballot Hall of Famer come 2028 after former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft weren't included in this year's Hall of Fame class.

During Friday's edition of the ESPN "First Take" show, retired running back and Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith was asked how he'd react if Brady isn't a first-ballot inductee a couple of years down the road.

Emmitt Smith: Tom Brady, Bill Belichick "have done things that the game has never seen before"

"I don't even know why I'm in it," Smith humorously said about such a scenario playing out. "If [Brady is] not a first-round ballot, I don't even know why I'm in it. Because at the end of the day ... you're talking about people that have done things that the game has never seen before. No one on the planet has more rings than Tom Brady and Bill Belichick."

Brady, Belichick and Kraft were the key figures of the Patriots' dynastic run that involved the franchise winning six Super Bowl championships from 2000 through the 2019 season. Fair or not, all three men will also forever be linked with the "Spygate" and "Deflategate" scandals that seemingly impacted Belichick's and Kraft's resumes this time around. 

During Thursday night's "NFL Honors" festivities, it was revealed that kicker Adam Vinatieri, quarterback Drew Brees, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, linebacker Luke Kuechly and running back Roger Craig will make up this year's Hall of Fame class. None of them accumulated as many Super Bowl rings as Brady (seven), the most decorated player in history. 

Emmitt Smith crushes voters for "snubbing people" who should be in the Hall of Fame 

"And at the end of the day, when you start talking about, no disrespect to guys that were 30 years ago going in...your stats have not moved since 30 years ago, and they're never going to change anymore," Smith continued. "So, 30 years ago, if you didn't get in, why 30 years today, you feel like you, or somebody thinks that you, have the right to get in and snub somebody else so you can get in? That's all you're doing is snubbing people and hiding behind the fact that, 'I got the right to do it.'" 

Most observers seem to feel it's a matter of when and not if Belichick, Kraft and Brady will all be Hall of Famers. If nothing else, voters learned this winter that there will be quite an uproar if Brady isn't selected when he's first eligible in 2028.