Big surprise in the NFL: legendary head coach Bill Belichick, who is eligible for election to the Hall of Fame for the first time, will not be among the nominees despite eight Super Bowl victories.

Bill Belichick, the legendary coach with eight Super Bowl victories, will not be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. This is according to sources close to the vote, which took place recently.

Belichick, who won six Super Bowls as head coach with the New England Patriots and two more as defensive coordinator with the New York Giants, did not receive the required 40 out of 50 votes from the 50-member selection committee.

The vote took place on January 13, and Belichick was informed of the result last Friday. Sources describe him as “stunned” and “disappointed.” He is said to have asked himself, “Six Super Bowls aren’t enough?” and “What else do you have to do?”

Bill Belichick: “Punishment” for scandals during his Patriots tenure?

Despite his impressive record—333 wins including playoffs (only Don Shula has more with 347), 17 division titles, nine conference championships, and 21 seasons with a winning record as head coach—he failed to clear the 80 percent hurdle.

According to insiders, the reasons for the decision lie in the Spygate (2007) and Deflategate scandals during his Patriots era. In Spygate, the team was punished with the loss of a first-round draft pick, the Patriots were fined $500,000, and Belichick personally was fined $250,000.

One anonymous voter said, “The only reason was the cheating stuff. That really bothered some of the guys.” Hall of Famer Bill Polian, a rival of the Patriots, is said to have suggested that Belichick be made to “wait a year” as penance for Spygate, but he quickly denied this.

The committee, consisting of experienced NFL reporters and figures such as Polian and Tony Dungy, chose from finalists including Ken Anderson, Roger Craig, and L.C. Greenwood. Each voter was allowed to select only three candidates. Experts such as Peter King, a longtime member of the commission, expressed shock: “I’m very, very surprised.” Belichick, who most recently coached at North Carolina at the college level (4-8 record in his first season), did not comment on the reports. The official announcement of the inductees will be made next week during Super Bowl week.