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Dec. 14, 2008; Charlotte, NC, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

Hall of Fame's Announcement has Big Mike Shanahan Implications

Originally posted on Denver Broncos on SI
By Chad Jensen | Last updated Dec 3, 2025 1:33 PM ET

Former Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan's long wait for the Pro Football Hall of Fame will continue at least another year. The two-time Super Bowl-winning head coach did not advance to the Hall of Fame's Coach Finalist round for the Class of 2026.

Instead, it was Bill Belichick who moved on. Alongside Shanahan, the eight other semi-finalists in the Coaching category were Belichick, Tom Coughlin, Mike Holmgren, Chuck Knox, Buddy Parker, Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer, and George Seifert.

Shanahan's prospects were always going to be in doubt when Belichick entered the conversation. The argument for greatest NFL head coach of all time usually comes down to Vince Lombardi or Belichick. After all, Belichick won six Super Bowls as head coach of the New England Patriots, and two as defensive coordinator of the New York Giants.

Looking at the names in the semi-finalist category, it might be a while yet before Shanahan gets his due and proper, as he goes up against coaches who won Super Bowls in much bigger media markets or with those in-the-club NFL teams, like Mike Holmgren of the Green Bay Packers. Tom Coughlin won two Super Bowls as head coach of the Giants, and one as an assistant, just like Shanahan, but he coached in the Big Apple.

Perhaps it's the pessimist in me, but Shanahan has already been waiting too long, and I fear it won't end soon. It's a travesty, of course, as Shanahan is one of only a handful of coaches to win back-to-back Super Bowls. All of his peers with the same accomplishment are already in the Hall of Fame, except for Andy Reid, who's still coaching.

Offensive Innovation

Not only did Shanahan win it all in consecutive years, but his zone-blocking variant of the West Coast Offense revolutionized the NFL. It took some time, but Shanahan's scheme is now the en vogue basis for many of the league's most explosive offenses.

In the same way that many NFL teams have tried to duplicate Vic Fangio's defensive scheme, by either hiring his assistants or straight up ripping off his scheme, it's even more overt in Shanahan's case. Shanahan was one of the most dominant and innovative coaches of his time, and when he was fired as Broncos head coach following the 2008 season, he was the longest-tenured coach in the league (tied with Jeff Fisher, then of the Tennessee Titans).

The fact that coaches like Bill Cowher and Tony Dungy — two phenomenal coaches of their time — got in before Shanahan is a bit of a farce. Even Dick Vermeil getting in before Shanahan is a joke, if you ask me.

No disrespect meant to Vermeil, but Shanahan never lost a Super Bowl as head coach. Vermeil did, though he gets credit for the Rams' Greatest Show on Turf era, despite that offense being more the brainchild of Mike Martz.

If I sound bitter, it's because I am. So many of Shanahan's deserving players from those back-to-back Super Bowl-champion teams have gotten into the Hall, like John Elway, Gary Zimmerman, Shannon Sharpe, Terrell Davis, and Steve Atwater.

Late owner Pat Bowlen got into the Hall of Fame. Thank goodness for all of them. But Shanahan being the last guy in doesn't make much sense, does it? And that's assuming he gets in the Hall.

Shanahan will live to fight another day. But at 73 years old, it's not like he has all the time in the world.