'Not a distraction': North Carolina football players weigh in on Bill Belichick's romance with Jordon Hudson
Hudson, Belichick's 24-year-old girlfriend, was accused of attempting to assert her control during the former NFL coach's sit-down with "CBS News Sunday Morning" in late April.
The interview was part of a promotional tour for Belichick's new book, "The Art of Winning: Lessons from My Life in Football."
Belichick was introduced as the next head coach at North Carolina in December.
Tar Heels football players insist the coach's personal life hasn't disrupted the team in any way. Belichick described the increased attention on his personal life as "just noise."
"Sometimes it's noisy, and sometimes it isn't," Belichick told ESPN. "Sometimes with the Patriots it was noisy, too."
North Carolina wide receiver Jordan Shipp made it clear that any outside "noise" has not negatively affected the team. From Shipp's point of view, Hudson has not been overly involved in Belichick's coaching process.
"Social media can promote some narrative, but that was not a distraction to us at all," Shipp said. "There was never a problem, like people saying she was running practice. We'd never really see her in the building. That was never a problem."
Shipp also pointed out that former UNC head coach Mack Brown's wife would routinely have breakfast with the receiver at the team's facility.
"I don't think Jordon's had lunch with anybody," Belichick quipped.
UNC quarterback Gio Lopez also shared his thoughts on the topic, suggesting Hudson is more visible on the internet than she is at the team complex. Lopez also characterized Belichick as a "normal coach."
"I log on my phone and see something about coach Belichick, so it is different, of course," Lopez said. "But you'd never think that about him. He's a normal guy, a normal coach. That's how he carries himself. He's very personable, not worried about the spotlight. He just does his job."
The Tar Heels finished last season with a 6-6 regular-season record. North Carolina opens the 2025 campaign against TCU Sept. 1. Belichick said the first game of the season is where his focus remains.
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