NFL coaching legend Bill Belichick accused CBS of creating a “false narrative” that his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, was trying to control an interview promoting his book over the weekend.
Belichick, 73, appeared on “CBS Mornings” ahead of the release of his memoir, “The Art of Winning: Lessons from My Life in Football.” Belichick, the former New England Patriots coach, was accompanied by Hudson, 24, as he spoke to correspondent Tony Dokoupil.
In a clip of the interview that drew widespread attention, Dokoupil asked how the couple met. Hudson, sitting at a desk in the background, responded, “We’re not talking about this.”
“No?” Dokoupil said.
“No,” she responded.
Belichick, who now coaches at the University of North Carolina, said in statement Wednesday that she was “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,” he said.
Belichick said the eight-minute segment that aired “does not reflect” the full 35-minute interview. He added that he communicated with his publicist that he wanted his book tour interviews to focus on the contents of his memoir.
Belichick added that he “repeatedly expressed” to Dokoupil and CBS producers that he wanted to keep the conversation on the book but that “was not honored.”
“After this occurred several times, Jordon, with whom I share both a personal and professional relationship, stepped in to reiterate that point to help refocus the discussion,” Belichick said.
A CBS News spokesperson said no conditions or limitations were given about the interview, which the parties agreed would be “wide-ranging.”
“This was confirmed repeatedly with his publisher before the interview took place and after it was completed,” the spokesperson said.
Belichick did not address the fact that Hudson posted screenshots to her Instagram account of what seemed to be an email he sent to his publishers on April 10. In the email, Belichick expresses frustration with an unnamed news article that highlighted a professional mistake he mentions in the book.
The email screenshot does not specify the mistake or the media outlet.
“This book is about how I did my job, and lessons from my 50 years in and around the NFL — not a bathroom book that highlights my mistakes,” he said. “I hope we can get on the same page in promoting the book authentically.”
Hudson wrote in the caption of the Instagram post, “Full statement to be released later today.” She did not post a statement Tuesday, and it is unclear whether Belichick’s release Wednesday was the anticipated statement.
NBC Sports reported this week that Hudson has taken a “very active” role in Belichick’s professional career and is “exerting a very high degree of influence.”
Former Patriots players Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski defended the couple on their podcast, “Dudes on Dudes.”
Edelman said that Hudson has been taking over much of Belichick’s public relations and that she jumped in “just like any PR person would jump in when there’s an unnecessary question.”
“Doesn’t that always happen whenever you do an interview?” Edelman said. “Do you not have a representative there?”
Gronkowski agreed, adding that Hudson is “becoming his representative on top of being a girlfriend.”
“No one’s really put this hand-in-hand together,” Gronkowski said.
