FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Count New England Patriots team owner Robert Kraft among those shocked that Bill Belichick reportedly will not be selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.In a statement to The Associated Press on Wednesday, Kraft said he believes Belichick’s accomplishments are clearly worthy of selection for the Hall on his first ballot.“Whatever perceptions may exist about any personal differences between Bill and me, I strongly believe Bill Belichick’s record and body of work speak for themselves,” Kraft said in the statement.Citing four unidentified sources, ESPN reported Tuesday that Belichick didn’t receive the necessary 40 votes from the 50-person panel of media members and other Hall of Famers. ESPN said Belichick received a call from the Hall of Fame last Friday with the news.The Hall of Fame declined to comment before its class of 2026 is announced at NFL Honors in San Francisco on Feb. 5.”As head coach of the New England Patriots for more than two decades, he set the standard for on-field excellence, preparation, and sustained success in the free agency and salary cap era of The National Football League,” Kraft said. “He is the greatest coach of all time and he unequivocally deserves to be a unanimous first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer.”Reaction to Belichick’s reported omission from this year’s class came swiftly from around the NFL world, with …
