Stephen A Smith warns Hall of Fame if Tom Brady is denied first-ballot: ‘Burn down the building’

A report came out that the SpyGate scandal was a deciding factor in Bill Belichick not making the Hall of Fame first ballot. Colin Cowherd reacts to the news and discusses what this means for Belichick and Canton.

With Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft both missing out on being first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famers, ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith got to thinking — what happens when Tom Brady can be voted on?

The legendary quarterback, who spent two decades leading a dynasty with the New England Patriots, has all-time NFL records and seven Super Bowl rings to boot. If there's anyone fit to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, it's Brady.

But that was until Belichick, his head coach in New England, shockingly missed out on his trip to Canton on his first ballot. Waves of displeasure with the Hall of Fame came crashing down, and the conversation rose during Super Bowl week, where the Patriots find themselves back in the big game, as Kraft didn't earn enough votes either.

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(L-R) Tom Brady and Stephen A. Smith speak onstage at the Fanatics Fest NYC 2024 at Jacob Javits Center on Aug. 16, 2024 in New York City.  (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)

Smith went on ESPN's "First Take" to pose a question to his fellow panelists.

"What you going to do next? You’re going to deny Tom Brady? You’re going to deny Tom Brady? You’re going to look at Tom Brady and be like this, ‘You don’t go to the Hall of Fame?'" Smith said to the group.

"You might as well burn down the building if that happens — there is no Hall of Fame. If you can’t have Tom Brady up in there as a first-ballot Hall of Famer, the credibility of the institution that is the Hall of Fame goes right out the freaking window. It’s