Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft are one step away from a grand reunion in Canton.
Go ahead, Tom Brady. Put it on your calendar.
Nearly two years since their infamous split with the New England Patriots, the franchise’s owner and most accomplished head coach have advanced as finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026.
Kraft – who purchased the Patriots in 1994 and is one of the NFL’s most influential powerbrokers – has again advanced in the Contributors category.
Belichick – who guided the Patriots to six Super Bowl crowns and just completed his first season as the North Carolina Tar Heels coach – has advanced in his first year of eligibility in the Coach category.
Three former players – Ken Anderson, Roger Craig and L.C. Greenwood – have also advanced as finalists in the Seniors category.
Anderson, the former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback, was a four-time Pro Bowl selection and the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 1981, when he led the way to the franchise’s first Super Bowl appearance.
Craig, the former running back who won three Super Bowl rings with the San Francisco 49ers, in 1985 became the first player in NFL history to total 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in the same season. In the 40 years since, just two others – Marshall Faulk and Christian McCaffrey – have achieved that feat.
Greenwood, a six-time Pro Bowl defensive end, was a key member of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ “Steel Curtain” defense who won four Super Bowl rings with the team during the 1970s.
The five finalists for these categories were chosen by three Hall of Fame subcommittees. They will be considered with 15 modern-era player finalists by the Hall’s full selection committee during its annual selection meeting before Super Bowl 60.
According to the Hall’s bylaws, the 50-member selection committee will vote for three of the five finalists from the Coach, Contributor and Seniors categories, separate from the modern-era players. No more than 3 of 5 finalists from these categories will be chosen for the Class of 2026, which requires approval from 80% of the selection committee.
Balloting to reduce a pool of 26 modern-era player semifinalists is currently underway, with the 15 finalists to be revealed later this month.
The entire Class of 2026 will be unveiled during the NFL Honors show on Feb. 5 and enshrined during ceremonies in early August at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.
Contact Jarrett Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on X: @JarrettBell