Bill Belichick releases statement on interview fiasco

North Carolina Tar Heels football coach Bill Belichick broke his silence on Wednesday after a TV interview sparked backlash toward him and his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson.

Belichick appeared on “CBS News Sunday Morning” and was asked a question about how he and Hudson met. Belichick was promoting his new book in which he describes Hudson as his “creative muse.” Naturally, a few questions came up about their relationship. As interviewer Tony Dokoupil asked how they met, Hudson shut down the question.

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Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson look on during the NCAA men’s basketball game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Duke Blue Devils in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on March 8. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

The interaction sparked a ton of backlash toward the couple. Belichick attempted to quash it all in his statement.

“I agreed to speak with ‘CBS Sunday Morning’ to promote my new book, ‘The Art of Winning — Lessons from My Life in Football.’ Prior to this interview, I clearly communicated with my publicist at Simon & Schuster that any promotional interviews I participated in would agree to focus solely on the contents of the book,” he said.

Belichick said he was “surprised” about getting the questions about his relationship and when Hudson stepped in, she was doing her job. He went on to accuse CBS of creating a “false narrative” with so-called “selectively edited clips.”

Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson enter the field before the football game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Navy Midshipmen at MetLife Stadium on Oct. 26, 2024. (Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images)

JORDON HUDSON RELEASES FIERY BILL BELICHICK EMAIL ON MEDIA’S BOOK COVERAGE AFTER SCRUTINIZED TV INTERVIEW

“Unfortunately, that expectation was not honored during the interview. I was surprised when unrelated topics were introduced, and I repeatedly expressed to the reporter, Tony Dokoupil, and the producers that I preferred to keep the conversation centered on the book,” he said. “After this occurred several times, Jordon, with whom I share both a personal and professional relationship, stepped in to reiterate that point to help focus the discussion. She was not deflecting any specific question or topic but simply doing her job to ensure the interview stayed on track. Some of the clips make it appear as though we were avoiding the question of how we met, but we have been open about the fact that Jordon and I met on a flight to Palm Beach in 2021.

“The final eight-minute segment does not reflect the productive 35-minute conversation we had, which covered a wide range of topics related to my career. Instead, it presents selectively edited clips and stills from just a few minutes of the interview to suggest a false narrative — that Jordon was attempting to control the conversation — which is simply not true.”

CBS responded to Belichick’s statement later Wednesday.

“When we agreed to speak with Mr. Belichick, it was for a wide-ranging interview,” the company said. “There were no preconditions or limitations to this conversation. This was confirmed repeatedly with his publisher before the interview took place and after it was completed.”

Belichick, 73, and Hudson, 24, have been linked since last year. She has been seen with him at several events, including February’s NFL Honors.

Jordon Hudson is seen at Loudermilk Center for Excellence in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on Dec. 12, 2024. (Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images)

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Hudson has been more involved in Belichick’s professional life as of late, according to multiple reports. Their relationship is certainly set to be a topic of conversation throughout the upcoming college football season.

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