Former New England Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola dismissed the idea that Tom Brady could face the same Hall of Fame delay as Bill Belichick, saying there is no question the quarterback will be a first-ballot inductee when he becomes eligible in 2028.
Amendola, who won two Super Bowl rings with the Patriots, spoke after participating in the USAA Salute to Service NFL Boot Camp at Patriots training camp. He said he had never considered the possibility that Brady might not get in on his first attempt, describing the thought as «crazy» in the wake of Belichick’s surprising snub by Pro Football Hall of Fame voters this week.
«I’m getting my suit ready to go support him when he gets his call,» Amendola said. «There’s no doubt in my mind he will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. That’s never even crossed my mind, that’s crazy to think about.»
Belichick, a six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach with the Patriots, failed to receive enough votes to earn first-ballot induction into the Hall in Canton, Ohio. The decision stunned many in football, including Brady and former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski.
«It was wild that Bill didn’t go,» Amendola said. «Obviously, his record and his hardware speak for itself. He’s a great ball coach, man. We’ll see how it goes.»
One reported factor in Belichick’s exclusion involved the Spygate and Deflategate controversies during his tenure in New England. In the Deflategate case, Brady was found to have been aware of underinflated footballs used in the Patriots’ 45-7 AFC Championship Game victory over the Indianapolis Colts in January 2015, which led to a four-game suspension.
Whether voters will apply the same standard to Brady will be tested when he becomes eligible in 2028. Brady holds the NFL record with seven Super Bowl titles — six with the Patriots and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — and is the league’s all-time leader in passing yards (89,214), completions (7,753) and touchdown passes (649). He started a record 333 games over 23 seasons and is widely regarded as the greatest quarterback in NFL history. Not even Belichick’s snub, Amendola said, shakes his confidence in Brady’s eventual first-ballot call.
Amendola’s comments came during a joint event between the Patriots and USAA in which active service members from Naval Submarine Base New London, Naval Station Newport, Joint Base Cape Cod and Hanscom Air Force Base took part in drills modeled on NFL scouting exercises, including the 40-yard dash, broad jump and three-cone shuttle.
Amendola said he was impressed by the competitors’ effort, noting one ran the 40-yard dash in 4.51 seconds. He also spoke about his deep appreciation for the military, saying he had planned to join the military if he had not received a football scholarship.
«These guys are going really hard. They’re having a blast,» he said. «It’s great to have them out here — they do so much for our country. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do.»