Jan. 28 (UPI) -- The SpyGate and DeflateGate scandals factored in to former NFL coach Bill Belichick's snub from the Pro Football Hall of Fame's class of 2026.
Sources told ESPN, USA Today and OutKick.com that the cheating scandals played in role in voters' thinking en route to his first-ballot denial. Sources told ESPN, The Athletic and CBS Sports on Tuesday that Belichick fell short of the 40 out of 50 required votes to be inducted in his first year of eligibility.
The leak came more than a week before results from Hall of Fame voting will be announced.
Belichick, now the head coach at North Carolina, logged a 302-165 regular-season record in 29 years as an NFL coach, including a 266-121 mark over 24 seasons with the New England Patriots. He went 31-13 in the postseason, with six Super Bowls as a head coach and two more during his tenure as a defensive coordinator of the New York Giants.
His six Super Bowl titles and 31 postseason wins are more than any other head coach. His 333 total wins are the second-most in history, trailing only Don Shula (347). Shula is also the NFL's leader in regular-season victories, with 328, ahead of George Halas (318) and Belichick (302).
