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Terrell Owens. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Notable Pro Football HOFers who were snubbed like Bill Belichick before induction

By Mike J. Asti | Last updated Jan 28, 2026 2:03 PM ET

As shocking and egregious as Bill Belichick not being a first ballot Hall of Famer may seem, he's far from the first football legend who was forced to wait before eventually earning induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Belichick's resume consists of leading the New England Patriots to nine Super Bowl appearances, winning six, accumulating the most playoff wins (31) and second most overall wins and being named a three-time Coach of the Year. He also served on two more Super Bowl winning teams as a defensive coordinator with the New York Giants. Coaches who have accomplished half as much are in the Hall of Fame.

There's no doubt Belichick belongs, even though some voters clearly feel he deserves to wait and serve a penance for his involvement in past scandals deemed cheating in NFL circles. However, Belichick's snub also brings to the light past candidates who seemed to be locks until voters begged to differ.

Terrell Owens

A player who ranks in the top 10 in multiple key categories for his position and in the top three in the two most prominent may seem like a shoe-in for any Hall of Fame, but that was not the case when it came to Owens' candidacy.

Instead, Owens, who ranks third in receiving yards with 15,934, third in receiving touchdowns with 153 and eighth in receptions with 1,078 had to wait two extra years before being inducted in 2018.

Despite Owens' production over his 15-year career, his arrogant personality and rocky relationship with teammates and reporters led to voters, players and big media personalities, most notably Skip Bayless, to argue he wasn't worthy of a bust in Canton.

From third round draft pick to five-time First Team All-Pro, Owens is one of the greatest receivers to ever live, regardless of which ballot he eventually gained the label Hall of Famer.

Shannon Sharpe

Widely regarded as a revolutionary for modern tight ends, Sharpe retired as the leader in receptions (815), receiving yards (10,060) and touchdowns (62) for the position. And while players like Antonio Gates, Jason Witten, Tony Gonzalez and Travis Kelce have since passed Sharpe statistically, he still ranks within the top five in yards and top 10 in receptions and touchdowns.

Sharpe's three Super Bowl rings further cement his case as one of the best tight ends in league history. But none of that seemed to matter the first two years Sharpe's name was on the ballot. He was passed over in 2009 and 2010 before being elected in his third year eligible in 2011.

A logjam of other candidates held up due to ballot restrictions was often cited as a reason for Sharpe's wait.

Art Monk

Much like Sharpe, Monk retired at or near the top of several major statistical categories. When he last played in 1995, Monk held the NFL record for receptions with 940 and most consecutive games with a catch. He totaled 12,721 receiving yards. And also like Sharpe, he won three Super Bowls.

But Monk had to wait even longer than Sharpe to reach football immortality. It took until his eighth year eligible, finally gaining acceptance in 2008.

Other notable names who had to wait

Two-time Super Bowl winning coach Jimmy Johnson, five-time champion with 100.5 sacks Charles Haley and five-time NFL champion Jerry Kramer also endured a waiting period before being enshrined.

Some argue Eli Manning has been snubbed to this point, but some would argue his wait makes sense.

Mike J. Asti

Mike Asti is an experienced media personality and journalist with a vast resume and skillset, most notably from time with TribLIVE Radio and WPXI-TV. Asti now serves as the Managing Editor of WV Sports Now, where he leads the coverage of WVU sports. He has also covered the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates and other teams within the Pittsburgh market

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