Is the Football Coach’s Girlfriend Creating Buyer’s Remorse in Chapel Hill?
5/2/25 – – Last weekend’s CBS Sunday Morning interview with Bill Belichick was a train wreck for the legendary football coach and his new employer, the University of North Carolina.
During the segment promoting the release of Belichick’s memoir, “The Art of Winning: Lessons from My Life in Football,” his very young, increasingly ever-present girlfriend became the unintended focus.
When reporter Tony Dokoupil asked 73-year-old Belichick how he met 24-year-old Jordon Hudson, who was observing off-camera, she threw a verbal penalty flag, insisting, “We’re not talking about that.” CBS aired the embarrassing intervention, along with Belichick’s uncharacteristic acquiescence.
Public reaction has been fierce. Vanity Fair, in an article headlined “The Ballad of Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson: ‘What the Hell Happened to Coach,’” shared off-the-record comments by former players who didn’t recognize their crusty coach, who now posts silly photos on Instagram and refers to Hudson as his “creative muse.”
Watching the disastrous segment, the crisis counselor in me couldn’t help but wonder how UNC’s chancellor and athletic director are feeling about their new hire.
Belichick has been given a five-year contract to bring his winning ways to Chapel Hill. He won six NFL Super Bowls during his 24 years as head coach of the New England Patriots. But is his relationship with Hudson creating buyer’s remorse on campus?
We’ll be keeping an eye on this developing crisis. And just for fun, here’s my take on how a post-CBS interview phone conversation between University of North Carolina Chancellor Lee H. Roberts and Athletic Director Lawrence R. “Bubba” Cunningham might have gone:
ROBERTS: Bubba, have you seen the Belichick interview?
CUNNINGHAM: Yes sir. Still can’t believe what I saw.
ROBERTS: What are we doing about it?
CUNNINGHAM: Well, we released Coach Belichick’s response this morning. Says he was sandbagged.
ROBERTS: Did we set up the interview?
CUNNINGHAM: No sir. His publisher, Simon & Schuster, is handling the book tour.
ROBERTS: Then why did we release his statement? We should be keeping the University as far away from this book and Belichick’s May-December romance as possible.
CUNNINGHAM: It’s more like a January-December romance, sir. They’re 49 years apart. He became the Patriots head coach before she was born.
ROBERTS: What in God’s name is he thinking?
CUNNINGHAM: Go on Instagram and look at the photos of her and you’ll see what got his attention. I mean, in one shot she . . .
ROBERTS: Bubba, stop!
CUNNINGHAM: Well, it sure can’t be her marketing expertise. She’s way over her head. What’s a former cheerleader, a licensed cosmetologist know about branding and media relations?
ROBERTS: I heard she formed a company to cash in on Belichick’s inspirational sayings and disheveled fashion sense.
CUNNINGHAM: Yes, sir. It’s called “Trouble Club Enterprises.” She’s CEO.
ROBERTS: Fitting name. Speaking of fashion, what’s with the frayed NAVY sweatshirt Belichick wore for the interview?
CUNNINGHAM: His dad was an assistant football coach at Navy for 30 years. Bill grew up in Annapolis.
ROBERTS: I thought he came to us because his father was an assistant coach here.
CUNNINGHAM: He was. For a few years before he went to Navy. We can try to require Bill to wear UNC garb whenever he’s at a public event or on camera.
ROBERTS: Hell no. If this is the crap we’re going to be dealing with on the book tour, get him a Duke sweatshirt. And a Duke hat. They’re probably laughing their asses off in Durham. Let them share our embarrassment.
CUNNINGHAM: Chancellor Roberts, I’m confident this is just a speed bump on the road to a national championship.
ROBERTS: Yeah, well, to have any chance of that, we’ve got to get back in control. Is this Hudson lady causing any trouble on campus?
CUNNINGHAM: Well, sir, Bill has directed us to copy her on all athletic department correspondence.
ROBERTS: What? And you agreed?
CUNNINGHAM: We did, sir.
ROBERTS: Is she in “read only” mode?
CUNNINGHAM: No, sir. She chimes in quite a bit. Especially on how we’re marketing what she calls “the Belichick brand.”
ROBERTS: You’re allowing a cosmetologist, licensed or not, who just a few years ago was taking her College Boards to direct our communications?
CUNNINGHAM. Oh, no sir. We generally ignore her emails.
ROBERTS: What about Belichick’s assistant coaches? Can we count on them to pay attention and add some balance?
CUNNINGHAM: Well, sir, his defensive coordinator is Bill’s son, Steve. And his other son, Brian, coaches the defensive backs.
ROBERTS: Bubba, tell me you’re making this stuff up.
CUNNINGHAM: No, sir.
ROBERTS: Do you think there’s any chance Belichick will snap out of Hudson’s spell before he coaches his first game for us? Is she ever going to be out of our hair?
CUNNINGHAM: Well, sir, she’s competing in the Miss Maine USA beauty pageant next week. So, she won’t be on campus for a while.
ROBERTS: Good. At least she won’t be here for next week’s graduation events. Maybe the publicity will die down. Nobody cares about the Miss Maine beauty pageant. I mean, who outfits the contestants for the bathing suit competition? L.L. Bean?
CUNNINGHAM: Normally, I’d agree with you, sir. But this year Bill’s girlfriend is competing against the first-ever Miss Maine transgender contestant. And the governor of Maine is challenging Trump on the boys in women’s sports controversy. So . . .
ROBERTS: Bubba, stop!
CUNNINGHAM: Sorry, sir.
ROBERTS: All the trustees will be on campus next weekend. They’ll want answers. We look like fools for hiring a 73-year-old football coach who is being led around by his nose or worse by a 24-year-old cosmetologist seeking fame, fortune and Instagram followers. This is a crisis, Bubba, and you need to do something before things get even worse. Understand?
CUNNINGHAM: Yes, sir.
ROBERTS: What’s your plan?
CUNNINGHAM: I’m heading over to Durham this afternoon.
ROBERTS: To see if Duke has a job opening in their athletic department?
CUNNINGHAM: No, sir. I’m going to their bookstore to buy a few sweatshirts and hats for Coach Belichick.
Crisis Quotient Blog 