North Carolina coach Bill Belichick addressed the media attention surrounding his relationship with girlfriend Jordon Hudson, stating it is a personal matter unrelated to football. Reports of Hudson being banned from football facilities were denied by UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham, who praised Belichick’s professionalism. The relationship has attracted media scrutiny, especially after Hudson participated in the Miss Maine competition. Belichick emphasized his focus on developing players and instilling a professional model within the program, stating he aims to make UNC “the 33rd NFL team” while encouraging a steady improvement approach.
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AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. — North Carolina coach Bill Belichick stated that he has discussed the media attention regarding his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, with his football team, but he emphasized that the media outcry and social media buzz about their relationship is unrelated to football.
“It’s really off to the side,” Belichick mentioned during a SportsCenter interview from the ACC spring meetings on Tuesday. “It’s a personal relationship, and she has nothing to do with football.”
Recently, there were reports claiming that Hudson was prohibited from entering the Tar Heels’ football facilities, a claim the school firmly rejected. UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham informed ESPN on Tuesday that there was never any intention to keep Hudson away from the athletics department or its facilities.
“Bill has been fantastic to collaborate with,” Cunningham stated. “He emphasizes practicing professionally and runs an organization that teaches students how to be professionals in all aspects of life. He is a very focused, professional individual, and that’s how he presents himself and manages the program.”
When directly asked if he was concerned about distractions, Cunningham responded: “Bill is an exceptionally focused person.”
The unusual relationship between the 73-year-old Belichick and 24-year-old Hudson had garnered attention, but Hudson’s role in shaping Belichick’s personal brand—including interrupting a CBS interview last month—has thrust both into headlines within and beyond the sports realm.
Hudson participated in the Miss Maine beauty pageant last weekend, securing the title of second runner-up while Belichick was present.
Belichick, who doesn’t often engage in social media, stated that he has talked about the recent focus on his personal life with his team and doesn’t anticipate it being a distraction.
“I discussed it with the players during our meetings,” Belichick said. “Our aim is to make the players the best they can be and provide them with the best opportunities on and off the field.”
Belichick has been the highlight of this year’s ACC gathering, where other coaches noted that he has been both inquisitive and professional during the meetings.
The six-time Super Bowl champion mentioned that he has been learning about the significant differences between the college and professional games but emphasized that his main goal is to make North Carolina the “33rd NFL team” by utilizing a professional model throughout the program.
“Everything we do follows a pro model,” Belichick asserted. “Head coach, general manager, and we strive for the players to develop professionally in every aspect.”
Since arriving in Chapel Hill six months ago, Belichick has not made any UNC players available to the media, but he expressed satisfaction with the team’s progress throughout the spring.
Regarding what will define success in his first college season, Belichick stated that he’s not looking to set any definitive expectations.
“We aim to stack good days together,” Belichick explained. “Have a good day, return, and build even higher the next day. It’s not about projecting where we will be in X-number of months or weeks from now.”
ESPN’s Andrea Adelson contributed to this report.