How are the inductees selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Belichick’s role in the “Spygate” scandal in 2007 could have had a similar impact on his candidacy that steroids have had in the baseball Hall of Fame at keeping stars such as Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens out of Cooperstown.

The rule changes put in place last year by the Hall also could have played a part, including possible frustration from some voters about the decision to eliminate the five-year waiting period for coaches that made Belichick eligible for the ballot after sitting out only one season as an NFL coach.

The changes also made it more difficult for anyone — Belichick included — to get into the Hall as evidenced by only four people getting voted in last year for the smallest class in 20 years. Coaches are now competing directly with players in the seniors category instead of being judged on their own.

Here’s a look at how the new rules have impacted the voting:

How do coaches become finalists?

Along with eliminating the five-year waiting period, coaches also were separated from contributors in terms of becoming finalists. A blue-ribbon committee whittles the coaches down to one finalist, with Belichick getting the nod this year. The one coach was grouped with one contributor, which was Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and three seniors players who haven’t played in the past 25 seasons. Ken Anderson, Roger Craig and L.C. Greenwood are the finalists this year.

What about the modern era players?

The biggest group of finalists comes from the modern era category, with 15 players picked after a process of cutting down nominees started with a screening committee that picks 50 nominees. The full 50-person selection committee cuts that down to 25 semifinalists and then 15 finalists, with any player who made it to the final seven and didn’t get in last year guaranteed a spot in the final 15.

Who are the voters?

The selection committee consists of 50 voters, with 32 picked as media representatives of each team and the rest consisting of at-large voters, including some Hall of Famers such as Bill Polian, Tony Dungy, Dan Fouts and James Lofton. All the voters got on a video conference earlier this month, with one voter making a presentation and others then allowed to offer their opinions in a debate. The vote is conducted by secret ballot, with the results announced Feb. 5 at "NFL Honors" in San Francisco.

How does someone get in?

The threshold to get into the Hall is 80% — 40 of the 50 voters — but it’s not as simple as an up-or-down vote.

Before the rule changes last year, five modern era finalists were picked to have an up-or-down vote, as well as the senior finalists and any coach or contributor who made it to the final stage. That typically led to five modern era players getting in with most — but not all — of the seniors, coaches and contributors also getting in.

Now, it’s much more difficult.

The voters will cut down the list of modern era candidates from 15 to 10 and then seven. A final vote will be held for those seven, with each voter allowed to vote for only five players. If some candidates such as Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald get wide support, that would leave fewer available votes for any other potential candidates in the final seven to get to 80%. That led to only three modern era players — Eric Allen, Jared Allen and Antonio Gates — getting in last year.

It’s a similar process for the seniors, coaches and contributors. Voters can vote for only three of the final finalists, with the top vote-getter and anyone else who gets 80% support getting into the Hall. Sterling Sharpe was the only person to reach that threshold last year from the group of finalists, while players Maxie Baughan and Jim Tyrer, coach Mike Holmgren and contributor Ralph Hay fell short.

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