Julian Edelman, former New England Patriots wide receiver, has criticised Bill Belichick's relationship with his girlfriend Jordon Hudson, who is 49-years junior to the coach, calling it a "distraction" from football.
Edelman, who won three Super Bowls under Belichick's guidance, suggested the 73-year-old coach's romance with 24-year-old Hudson has become exactly the type of sideshow Belichick would never have tolerated from his players.
"The No 1 thing we used to talk about all the time in New England was distractions. 'Let's not make distractions'," Edelman said.
The relationship has drawn intense scrutiny, particularly after Hudson was filmed interrupting Belichick during a CBS interview.
Julian Endelman (pictured) won three Super Bowls with Bill Belichick
Reuters
Edelman believes the situation has "snowballed" into precisely the kind of off-field distraction Belichick spent his coaching career trying to eliminate.
The controversy intensified when Hudson was filmed tensely interrupting a CBS interview, stopping Belichick from discussing how they met and, according to reports, Hudson stormed out of the recording for 30 minutes following the interruption.
The incident had wider repercussions, with claims that Hudson's 'alleged meddling and overall presence' led to the iconic 'Hard Knocks' programme cancelling plans to film Belichick coaching at North Carolina.
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Jordan Hudson and Bill Belichick have reportedly been together for three yearsGETTYEdelman defended Hudson's actions to some extent, saying: "I thought he got an unfair public opinion on the whole thing, because that happens all the time. Anytime we do behind-the-scenes this, that, you've got someone that represents you, they're gonna jump in."
However, he noted that the continued attention weeks later had transformed it into exactly the kind of distraction Belichick would have warned against, and was explicit about how Belichick would have handled this situation with his players.
Edelman said: "Now that it's gained and snowballed to what it's become right now, where we're talking about it three weeks later, it's become a distraction.
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"That's what we all think now. This is becoming a distraction. We have got to practice as we preach here."
The former Patriots star didn't mince words about what Belichick himself would have told players in a similar situation, adding: "We shouldn't be talking about our girlfriend."
His comments highlight the apparent contradiction between Belichick's coaching philosophy and his current personal circumstances.
According to People magazine, Belichick's three children from his previous marriage to Debby have expressed "hesitations" about their father's relationship with Hudson.
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Bill Belichick left the New England Patriots in January 2023
GettyHowever, it is reported that Amanda, 41, Stephen, 38, and Brian, 37 are supportive of their father despite their concerns.
"His children want the best for their dad but like most family members, they hope this is a good choice for him," an insider said.
Despite the 49-year age gap, the source insisted the relationship is 'real', and the couple reportedly share the 'same interests' and 'enjoy being together'.
It is also suggested that Belichick values his privacy significantly, however contradictory it may be viewed as.
