Former New England Patriots football coach Bill Belichick is hoping to set the record straight on his working relationship with his 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson.
In an interview on “The Pivot Podcast” to promote his new book, “The Art of Winning: Lessons From a Life in Football,” on Friday, Belichick spoke in more detail about how Hudson helps him juggle his opportunities off the field.
“As I stay focused on football, some of the other opportunities that come along, Jordon looks at those and can dig into a little bit deeper,” he said. “But really what she does helps me spend my time on football, and that’s what’s important to me.”
The 73-year-old coach added that Hudson helps him schedule what he described as “personal opportunities,” such as media interviews or speaking arrangements.
He also said Hudson gave him tips on things to exclude or include in his book, such as removing technical terms from certain chapters and dedicating page numbers to certain players and family members.
Belichick and Hudson went viral during an interview with “CBS Sunday Morning” last month in which Hudson herself blocked the now-University of North Carolina football coach from answering a question about their relationship.
When CBS interviewer Tony Dokoupil asked how the couple met, Hudson, sitting at a desk in the background, jumped in and said: “We’re not talking about this.”
“No?” Dokoupil said.
“No,” she responded.
The uncomfortable exchange appeared to generate more speculation about the information the couple was trying to keep private.
Belichick since released a statement saying the couple had nothing to hide about how they met. He also said in jest during the podcast interview that he took up yoga because he is “trying to stay young.”
This week, Belichick got into another terse exchange with an interviewer on ESPN, where he was questioned if his relationship with Hudson would affect his ability to lead the football program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“That’s really off to the side,” he told ESPN on Tuesday. “It’s a personal relationship, and she doesn’t have anything to do with UNC football.”
Belichick has the most Super Bowl wins of any head coach in American football, with six wins under his belt at the helm of the New England Patriots. He is considered one of the greatest coaches of all time.
