Bill Polian is actively dismissing claims that he influenced the decision to delay Bill Belichick’s induction as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Polian, renowned for his tenure as general manager with the Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts, was singled out in a recent ESPN report. The report suggested that he advised fellow voters to postpone honoring the six-time Super Bowl-winning coach with immediate Hall of Fame entry, ostensibly as a consequence for the infamous 2007 Spygate scandal.

As it stands, Belichick did not secure enough votes to join the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2026.

Polian has repeatedly refuted any involvement in this decision through multiple media appearances, asserting that he supported Belichick’s candidacy. However, his stance appeared to waver slightly during a discussion on Tuesday evening.

Nonetheless, during an interview on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Wednesday, Polian confidently reiterated his affirmative vote in support of Belichick’s induction.

“I voted for Coach Belichick in the Hall of Fame selection meeting,” Polian said, reading from a prepared statement. “The Pro Football Hall of Fame has confirmed that fact through the auditors of the selection process. Again, I’ll state that I never said that I believed that Coach Belichick should ‘wait a year’ for enshrinement. This has been confirmed by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, numerous selectors who were in the room and my vote for Coach Belichick. As a Hall of Fame member and selector, I realize the import of what we do. I’ve always tried as a selector to make these difficult choices with the utmost objectivity. I’ve said on Sirius XM Radio and numerous other media outlets that I believe Coach Belichick to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. My vote confirms that.”

The initial ESPN report, which included the claims about Polian, has created plenty of animosity toward the ex-NFL general manager, with Ringer founder Bill Simmons even labeling him a “petty, whiny, not-honest, hypocritical, self-serving, score-settling d–khead.”

And Simmons hasn’t been alone in questioning Polian’s account.

That chorus grew even louder after Polian told ESPN on Tuesday night that he was 95 percent sure that he voted for Belichick. 

During the SiriusXM interview, Polian explained that because the interview with the Worldwide Leader had taken place late Tuesday night, he had no way to confirm “to 100 percent certainty” that he had cast a vote for the former Patriots head coach. 

“I used the term 95 percent because I could have easily said very certain. Perhaps I should have said very certain, but I did not have confirmation late last night when I talked to the author,” he said. “And I didn’t want to make an absolutely unequivocal statement without having it be confirmed. Simple as that.” 

Polian also, again, denied he had any personal vendetta against Belichick dating back to their time as adversaries in the AFC. 

“There isn’t anything there. We served together in close physical proximity on the selection committee for the centennial team,” he continued. “We’ve discussed things together. I have the utmost respect for him as a football coach.

“The fact that they got the better of us so many times has no bearing on it. He’s a great football coach.”

Belichick fell short of the 40 needed votes to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, shocking everyone across the sports world. 

Because voters’ ballots are not made public, it is not possible to know the identities of those who did not give Belichick their votes.

One voter, the Kansas City Star’s Vahe Gregorian, came forward and explained why he did not vote for Belichick.