Inbox: There's no need for Checkpoint Chickie

Joel from Show Low, AZ

Hopefully with Bill Belichick being snubbed by the HOF this year, Mike Holmgren will have another chance to get in.

I think it's gonna have the exact opposite effect, Joel.

Michael from Bloomington, IL

I may be in the minority, but I smiled when I read Bill Belichick didn't get in HOF on first-ballot vote. I personally put an asterisk on both his and Brady's careers due to both cheating scandals. I agree with the committee's decision to make him wait a year, it sends the proper message that trying to interfere with honest competition is restricted to NFL referee's game management and not their HOF. Thoughts?

There is no doubt in my mind Bill Belichick is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. His resume demands it, but that isn't what this is about for me. Belichick has plenty of pundits, coaches and players rushing to defend his candidacy. What bothers me is the fact Mike Holmgren should already be in Canton and he's not. In recent years, the Pro Football Hall of Fame has made a series of changes to the voting process for seniors, coaches and contributors and we're feeling the aftereffects of it. I'm not going to get into the whole thing because it's somewhat convoluted, but those nominees must secure 80% approval for enshrinement while competing against each other (voters can only select up to three). The threshold is too high and it's causing undue strife on nominees who've waited decades to have their case heard. That's the first part. Secondly, in 2024, the Hall of Fame made a bad call (in my opinion) to shift the waiting period for head-coach candidacy from five years after "retirement" to one. Never mind the logjam that's already formed because of how late to the game the Hall of Fame was in giving head coaches their own category for enshrinement. At the same time, the Hall of Fame also tightened the belt for yearly enshrinement of all candidates. That might have been understandable if not for the Hall also shooing in 20 Hall of Famers six years ago under the "Centennial Slate," which consisted of a single up-and-down vote on a 15-person class. The point of it, as I understand, was to help honor seniors who were part of the NFL before the Hall of Fame's inaugural class in 1963. I think four of the 15 enshrinees actually were, including Bobby Dillon. My long-winded point is Mike Holmgren has been standing knee deep in this storm of idiocracy the past two years, and it reached new levels this week with voters rejecting Belichick. For what? So the voters can make a silly statement that only delays the inevitable. At what cost? Holmgren turns 78 in June and likely will have to wait until he turns 80 for another shot at enshrinement unless change is enacted. Meanwhile, Mike Shanahan is waiting. George Seifert is waiting. Tom Coughlin is waiting. I'm sick for Holmgren. The Pro Football Hall of Fame needs to fix its mistake and enact serious changes for how it handles the voting for seniors, contributors and coaches.

Kary form Sheboygan, WI

I wholeheartedly disagree with Mike's take on Belichick. How much cheating is acceptable before we disallow someone into the HOF? Robert Kraft is on record being asked how much it helped them, to which Belichick replied a little and Kraft calling him a "schmuck." In a game of inches, how many of those inches mattered? How many games were won that wouldn't have been? I can't believe how many people are willing to allow outright, repetitive cheating. I applaud the HOF for its courage.

But this isn't Barry Bonds. It's not Mark McGwire. It's not a couple names on a list of 50 nominees. Only one coach gets nominated each year. Not five. Not three. One. Feel however you want to feel about Belichick, but this changes nothing. There's no need for Checkpoint Chickie. Let's get on with it.

William from Charleston, WV

Good morning II. Help me understand your consternation about the HOF vote for Coach Belichick. Not arguing that he's not HOF in my book. He is. But at least two cheating scandals cloud his legacy. He's qualified for the HOF, in part, because of his wins. But how many of those wins came because he cheated? We'll never know. Maybe the HOF is sending a message. Maybe it's not. Maybe cheating should have disqualified him altogether. That's not my argument. But maybe the HOF got it right?

Then how should Antonio Gates' candidacy have been handled? He was suspended four games for a PED violation in 2015…should he not be in? It's the same voters playing judge and jury on this. Where is this imaginary line we're drawing and how do I find the coordinates?

JR from East Moline, IL

Is Big Ben a HOFer in your opinion?

I think so, but who knows with the new voting criteria? He played 18 years, won two Super Bowls and made six Pro Bowl appearances but was never voted to an All-Pro team. I don't think he ever received an MVP vote, either.

Josh from Greenville, SC

Good morning! What was your favorite game to attend this season, both home and away, and why? Love the column, GPG!

My favorite home game was the Packers' win over Chicago on Dec. 7, especially with how it ended. Tremendous energy inside Lambeau Field that night. My favorite away game was easily Detroit on Thanksgiving. In addition to the tradition and dramatic ending, Micah Parsons had an unbelievable game, and I'll never forget the silence that fell over Ford Field after Dontayvion Wicks' catch. Oh, there was a surprise Eminem performance, too. Honestly, it is probably a top 5 all-time game for me on the Packers beat.

Nick from Richmond, VA

Watching Jaxon Smith-Njigba have a really strong year and seeing what he can do has made me excited for Matthew Golden. They seemingly have similar builds and styles and having watched Golden this year I've noticed he has great hands and definitely is a playmaker. He just needs more opportunities to get more comfortable in the league. I'm excited for his future

If you're excited about a first-round pick entering Year 2, that means you achieved the primary goal of Year 1.

Derek from Maple Grove, MN

I don't understand the line of questioning when people ask about someone being so successful they leave for a promotion influencing a hiring decision. As someone who hires people, I am always looking for the people who are going to get the next round of promotions. Looking for a new DC every two years because yours are so successful is not a problem, it's the goal! It's also why I, like Mike, believe this defense if far closer to championship caliber than most fans seem to.

You need to shave the ice every once in a while to keep making progress. You hope it's for reasons like the Packers have experienced this month, with Jeff Hafley becoming an NFL head coach and taking a few individuals with them to South Beach. In that void, new ideas and opportunities can take root.

Michael from Glenview, IL

I enjoyed the post by Tim from Elmhurst. I'll add that the reason Chicago had so many QBs over the years was more than a matter of coaching. It was the whole organization. The turnover in GMs and coaches (and therefore coordinators) made developing any QB almost impossible. That and years of poor O-line play forcing the QBs to run for their lives. When they hired BJ, I told my wife (Chicago born and raised) the Bears would be better. The first thing he did was fix the O-line. The Pack does it right.

It's tough to throw if you can't protect the quarterback.

Will from UK

Perhaps a little controversial, but in the games without Micah Parsons, to my untrained eye, I did not feel the defense lost a lot. All three phases of the game share the blame for the late-game losses. So, my question is, how good would the defense have been if the Packers had not traded for Micah and how much will we miss those two first-rounders?

Played well enough to compete, not well enough to win.

Andrew from Chicago, IL

I think part (though not all) of the problem with lackluster special teams is Green Bay has historically placed younger guys on them. As Mike noted, the Seahawks traded for a veteran presence there. Every year the Packers are the youngest team in the league is another year where they (in all likelihood) have the youngest special teams. It's hard to armchair GM this, but I can't help but think bolstering special teams with veterans would make it a better unit.

I'm torn on Rashid Shaheed. He is a talented returner, the cost for Seattle wasn't cheap. The Seahawks sent fourth- and fifth-round picks in next year's draft to New Orleans. Let's say the Packers matched that…now they're down two picks in the first five rounds in April and Shaheed is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. To your larger point, I don't think it gets talked about enough how Green Bay has had to build its special teams from the ground up with the likes of Zayne Anderson, Bo Melton, Daniel Whelan, Arron Mosby, Evan Williams, etc. It's not like Rich Bisaccia inherited a Jarrett Bush or Chris Banjo. He had to bring Keisean Nixon with him. The emphasis is there, but this is a process. Claiming Nick Niemann helped. Hoping to see him back next year. Maybe a few more additions, too.

Jim from Hudsonville, MI

The Pro Bowl, and everything related to it, is an absolute joke. I can't think of anything that could possibly fix it, other than making it go away. However, I know the league wants to keep it, so it'll stay. Is there anything you would do to at least make it, I don't know… less stupid?

Do away with NFC and AFC for good, identify the best available pool of players and have them drafted to teams. I can't believe Shedeur Sanders made a Pro Bowl before Jordan Love and Caleb Williams.

Pat from Redgranite, WI

Malik Willis has definitely earned whatever contract comes his way, and will make someone's starting lineup as QB1 this coming year! My hopes are that 1) The Vikings don't…nuff said. 2) Miami does, because then we don't have to face him often. 3) Pittsburgh does, for the same reason as Miami, but also the Mike McCarthy factor for his continued development…not to mention this becoming kind of another intriguing story to watch as a fan. Your thoughts? GPG!

I think Willis goes to Miami. Not just because of how he performed in games, but remember, Jeff Hafley's defense practiced again Willis for two seasons. Miami's new head ball coach has seen everything No. 2 can do. If the Fins can make it work, I feel like that's the best spot for Willis.

Edward from Sioux Falls, SD

I assume that most or all NFL assistant coaches have one-year contracts, so how much of a position/pay upgrade would the Packers have to offer Al Harris to get him away from the Bears? I want him wearing green and gold next season!

Most or all NFL assistant coaches actually have two-year contracts. Typically, a coach needs to let his contract run out (e.g. Brian Flores) to become a free agent while serving under a returning head coach.

Donald from Philadelphia, PA

Hi II, I don't know nearly enough about the ins and outs of MLB's business so apologies, but it seems to me that the salary cap in the NFL only works as well as it does for both players and teams because of revenue sharing. Is that a fair statement? I've read MLB has some big carve-outs for what gets shared. Do you think they can fix things without fixing revenue sharing?

MLB already had a serious problem with the variance in what its clubs were willing to spend on players, and the divide has only widened with deferred payouts on contracts, which shouldn't be allowed. MLB is not a low-interest credit card. It's a professional sports league asking fans to pay their hard-earned money to cheer on their team. God bless Mike, but I have zero interest in consuming the product MLB is putting out right now.

Al from Tulsa, OK

With regard to best road venues, I can't speak for SoFi Stadium in LA, but I was at the 2018 game at the LA Coliseum and I'm not exaggerating when I say Packers fans filled about half the stadium. I wore my Aaron Rodgers jersey and encountered no ill behavior. In fact, Rams and Packers fans had a friendly cheering competition on the light rail train ride on the way to the game from Pasadena. Also, the pep rally was great. Got my picture taken with Mike and Wes, and another one with Mark Murphy.

It's a small sample size, but SoFi is probably the most pro-Packers road stadium I've ever been in. When Green Bay traveled to face the Rams there in 2024, it felt like a domed version of Lambeau Field.

Sean from Boulder, CO

It may have gone unnoticed now that he is no longer a Packer, but Eric Stokes quietly had himself a really good year with the Raiders. No matter what pick it is, you are drafting potential and the four-/five-year rookie deals don't always coincide with the development tree. Really happy to see him stay healthy and start fulfilling his draft day potential.

I'm happy for Eric. He didn't get a pick but started 16 games and was a bright spot during a down year for the Raiders. Hopefully, he stays healthy next year. Great dude.

Gary from Chippewa Falls, WI

It should be noted that the Patriots and Seahawks have the rosters they have because they missed the playoffs for years and had no quality quarterback. Packers Nation would not be able to accept that kind of losing. Appreciate being competitive every year and stop complaining about the coach, GM, and now President.

I don't even want to fathom what Insider Inbox might look like after consecutive 4-13 seasons.

TK from Grafton, WI

"Luke from Dubuque" has got a fantastic ring to it! In that spirit, even though I don't live there, could I switch to "TK from LA" or "TK from Mandalay"?

You got something against Green Bay?

Craig from Pinellas Park, FL

The last time GB played at Tampa, I had tickets. Ray Jay is only 20 miles from my home. My wife was pregnant and went into labor that Sunday morning and gave birth to our son at about 1:30 p.m. during the game. I ate the tickets and enjoyed one of the best days of my life. Yes, GB clinched a playoff spot that day, but my second son clinched a spot in my heart. That being said, I really would prefer spending this year's game at a stadium, not a hospital. But some things are simply more important.

You walked away with two tickets in pristine condition and a pretty cool souvenir, though. You have that going for ya…

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