Bill Belichick celebrated his long-awaited return to football on Wednesday night, but he was wise to ignore social media after taking over as UNC coach.
The 72-year-old Belichick signed a five-year contract with North Carolina after a year out of the game following his departure from the New England Patriots, where he won six Super Bowl titles to cement his place as the most successful coach in the game.
But his move to the college game has sparked some brutal reactions from fans who couldn’t help but mock his relationship with Jordon Hudson, a 24-year-old cheerleader nearly 50 years his junior.
One fan shared a photo of Belichick and Hudson together and wrote, “Send this to people concerned about Bill Belichick’s ability to recruit.”
Another college football follower shared the infamous “coach interference” scene from Friday Night Lights, in which Coach Dickies tackles a Dillon Panther player in season two.
“Bill Belichick when he found out his running back was making the moves on his girlfriend,” the caption read.
Bill Belichic, 72, with his 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson in New York last week
Fans on social media mocked Belichick for the romance after he took a job in college football
Another merciless take on X read: “You really have to feel sorry for Bill Belichick’s girlfriend.
“I started dating a 72-year-old thinking her competition would be the bridge and shuffleboard crowd, and now it’s the UNC sorority.”
Another fan joked that Belichick’s relationship with Hudson was actually part of his college football master plan, writing, “Bill Belichick got a 24-year-old girlfriend so she can help recruit him for his future job. This man is just one step ahead of the rest.’
In a similar viral comment, Belichick jokingly praised his chivalry, saying, “They say chivalry is dead, but Bill Belichick went out of his way to get a job that allowed his girlfriend to interact with more people her age.”
Belichick’s romance with Hudson was confirmed in June, but they apparently dated for a short time before things became public.
They reportedly first met on a flight to Florida from Boston in 2021. When Belichick split from TV host Linda Holliday in September 2023, things heated up with Hudson.
Hudson congratulated Belichick on Instagram on Wednesday evening on the move, while the man himself said in a statement that competing in the college game was a long-held ambition.
“I’m excited about the opportunity at UNC-Chapel Hill,” Belichick said Wednesday night.
“I grew up playing college football with my dad and cherished those times. “I have always wanted to coach in college and now I look forward to building the football program in Chapel Hill.”