Hall of Fame coach says he feels 'guilty' being in Canton without Bill Belichick

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Perhaps unfairly, Bill Belichick needs to wait his turn to get into Canton.

Despite eight Super Bowl victories and the second-most wins in NFL history, Belichick came up short of the 80% of votes (40 out of 50) needed to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year.

Dick Vermeil was inducted into the Hall in 2022 while having seven fewer rings and 213 fewer victories. So, Vermeil knows where the line might be to get in.

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Dick Vermeil is introduced during the 2022 Pro Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on Aug. 6, 2022 in Canton, Ohio.  (Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

"If anyone belongs in the Hall of Fame, regardless of voting, it’s Bill Belichick. I honestly feel guilty being in there without him. . . . " Vermeil told TMZ Sports. When you leave Bill Belichick out, the system doesn’t work, and there’s no way to justify it as it stands."

It's been reported and speculated that Spygate and Deflategate were points of contention that led to a lack of full support for Belichick, leading some to convince other voters that Belichick should be punished by waiting one year to get in. The 2007 spying scandal cost the team a first-round pick and $250,000, while Belichick was fined $500,000. Deflategate resulted in a four-game suspension for Tom Brady and $1 million in fines and ultimately reached U.S. courts.

However, Vermeil said keeping him out because of those scandals is "baloney."

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick looks on during the fourth quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium. (David Butler