Mike Shanahan Eliminated as Hall of Fame Finalist

Every year the NFL puts out a huge list of former players, coaches and contributors that have been nominated for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and over the course of the season, they whittle the list down to the lucky few who make it again.

And every year they tease us with a handful of legendary Broncos on the list - at least the first few cuts - ultimately passing them over for other players and in the case of this year, a coach for induction into the 2026 Hall of Fame class.

Mike Shanahan, a member of the Broncos Ring of Fame, has been eliminated from contention for the 2026 class as the committee as decided that Bill Belichick will be the one nominated for the coaching selection next season. Shanahan was the last Bronco under consideration for the 2026 class, though fun fact: Belichick was an assistant coach for the Broncos in 1978.

Listen. Nobody can argue with Belichick's resume or qualifications for the spot. Love him or hate him, his coaching record is probably the most impressive of any coach to ever pick up a whistle on a sideline. But now? 2026?

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Belichick is still actively coaching, albeit at the college level in what many see as a failed experiment at the University of Northern Carolina. Rumors are rapidly swirling around the league that he may plot a return to the NFL next season as several openings are anticipated at teams that have been linked to the former Patriots coach for a while now.

Shanahan, for his part, has been retired from the league since after the 2013 season with the (then) Washington Redskins, after serving as the Broncos head coach from 1995-2008. Belichick has only been out of the NFL since the completion of the 2023 season.

I get it, and there's no "turns" with this sort of thing, especially given the two coaches are the same age. That said, Shanahan is actually retired and Belichick is not. Shanahan's time is due, and Belichick could have waited.

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