Hall of Fame Releases Statement Amid Bill Belichick Snub, Could Remove Voters Who Violate Bylaws

The Pro Football Hall of Fame released a statement regarding penalties for voters who violate selection process bylaws after former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick wasn't selected as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

"Each year, the Hall reviews the selection process and the composition of the 50-person Selection Committee," the statement said, via NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. "If it is determined that any member(s) violated the selection process bylaws, they understand action will be taken. That could include the possibility that such selector(s) would not remain a member of the committee moving forward. The selection of a new class is the most important duty the Hall of Fame oversees each year, and the integrity of that process cannot be in question."

According to ESPN's Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham, the Patriots' Spygate and Deflategate scandals came up in discussions surrounding Belichick's Hall of Fame candidacy.

Garafolo noted Wednesday that the Spygate debate would be considered football-related and not a violation of the selection process bylaws, though.

A voter making a decision based on a non-football reason, such as choosing not to vote for a candidate because they were uncooperative with the media, would result in a violation.

In the 2007 season, New England was discovered to be videotaping the coaching signals of rival teams as part of the Spygate scandal. Belichick was fined $500,000 by the NFL, while the Patriots were fined $250,000 and had a 2008 first-round draft pick taken away.

Per Van Natta and Wickersham, former Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts general manager Bill Polian told fellow voters he believed Belichick should "wait a year" before induction because of Spygate.

Polian later denied influencing the Hall of Fame snub.

It was surprising to see Belichick fail to receive 40 out of the 50 votes required to earn a spot in the Hall of Fame, as he won six Super Bowl titles during his 24 years with the Patriots.

He owned a 333-178 overall record, sitting at No. 2 on the NFL's all-time wins list among head coaches. Belichick also won a pair of championships during his tenure as defensive coordinator of the New York Giants from 1985-90.

Now, he'll have to wait until 2027 to see if he's selected.