Many were shocked when NFL Films said in March that UNC would no longer be the subject of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” offseason series after the sides were reportedly close on a deal.
Jordon Hudson, the 24-year-old girlfriend of North Carolina football coach Bill Belichick, had a pivotal role in why negotiations fell through, including her request to be heavily involved in the project, as reported Wednesday by The Athletic.
Jessica Boddy, the NFL’s vice president for commercial operations and business affairs, said in an email to UNC’s counsel confirming that showmakers “will not proceed with the production of the Belichick project” on March 3 — two days after NFL Films was set to begin production on the five-part docuseries.
“The conversation took a turn we were not comfortable with,” wrote Boddy, who is an executive producer for “Hard Knocks.”
Hudson was not mentioned or included in more than 200 pages of emails discussing the project that were obtained by The Athletic.
The emails revealed Belichick was in favor of the project.
North Carolina’s athletic department deferred The Athletic’s request for comment to “Hard Knocks,” since it was the production company’s decision to back out of the project.
The NFL, which oversees “Hard Knocks,” declined comment to The Athletic.
Boddy’s message that negotiations took a turn came a week after assistant director of football operations Bobby Teahan wrote in a Feb. 24 email to school administrators, including athletic director Bubba Cunningham, that “this production is at the request of Coach Belichick.”
NFL Films was set to begin filming March 1 as part of a two-month schedule on campus to capture the behind-the-scenes of Belichick’s first season coaching at the college level.
UNC reportedly lost out on $200,000 in facilities fees and a chance to shine a light on the program during Belichick’s first season with the university.
A deal was close enough to being reached that HBO, NFL Films and UNC drafted a press release announcement for the show to be released around the NFL Scouting Combine, which included a quote from Belichick.
Other promos featured an image of Belichick sporting a Tar Heels cut-off sweatshirt with the title, “‘Hard Knocks: Offseason with Bill Belichick & The Tar Heels,’ coming this summer.”
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Hudson has made her presence known at UNC after Belichick, 73, signed a five-year, $50 million deal to become their head football coach last December — after a one-season layoff following his 24 seasons and six Super Bowl rings with the Patriots.
The former cheerleader at Bridgewater State University recently attended a spring practice.
But that didn’t cause nearly as much as buzz as her viral cameo in Belichick’s appearance on “CBS Mornings” on Sunday.
Hudson interrupted the interview after CBS’s Tony Dokoupil asked about how they met.
We’re not talking about this,” Hudson said.
“No,” Dokoupil replied as he looked over at Hudson, who responded, “No.”
Dokoupil added that Hudson was a constant presence during the interview and that the couple was “uncomfortable” talking about how they met.
Hudson and Belichick met on a flight from Boston to Florida in 2021, according to TMZ.
However, Hudson’s interjection has stirred buzz that there could be more to the story.
In February, Hudson shared in an Instagram post that they met on Feb. 11, 2021, and called it their “meetiversary.”
One thing has proven to be true, and that’s Hudson’s overwhelming presence in Belichick’s work life.
Hudson referred to herself as the chief operating officer of Belichick Productions in a December 2024 email to North Carolina officials, according to The Athletic, which said it was not able to identify any company registered under that name.
Hudson has also been copied on some UNC emails at Belichick’s request, according to multiple reports.
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