Whether Bill Belichick will prematurely leave his new role as the head coach of the UNC Tar Heels for an NFL coaching job has been a point of discussion ever since the guru initially accepted the gig, thanks in large part to a contract buyout clause that suggests an eventual return to the league isn't off the table.
The coach has repeatedly insisted he has no plans to leave, but a Thursday report from CBS Sports just added new fuel to the speculatory fire. Per reporter Jonathan Jones, "there is not a fully executed and signed contract" between the coach and UNC, which could create a "legal gray area about how much, if any, of a buyout would exist if Belichick left."
The writer notes that, per industry sources, it is not atypical for college coaches to begin work without a fully executed contract. Still, though, the article garnered enough attention that Michael Lombardi, UNC football's general manager, felt compelled to respond.
"Bill is recruiting in DC today and Baltimore tomorrow," Lombardi wrote online. "His focus is on North Carolina football, hiring staff members, and developing the team. The NFL isn't a option so please stop making it one. Thank you."
Another party who appeared to clap back at the report? Belichick's girlfriend Jordon Hudson, who hit the coach's skeptics with a strong message via Instagram.
"Pictured: two people who are overtly committed to [UNC Football]," she posted on Thursday, alongside a very Carolina blue-themed photo of the duo smiling and holding a football with a Tar Heels logo on it.
Take a look at that below:
NEW: Bill Belichick's girlfriend Jordon Hudson confirms they are locked in with North Carolina🐏https://t.co/osLe3aGy5v https://t.co/0knjmGbVpR pic.twitter.com/jbTjR0tH9V
— On3 (@On3sports) January 16, 2025
It is, of course, possible that Hudson was posting in regards to the overall chatter about a Belichick NFL return and not Jones's specific report, but given the timing of it all, it does seem like the latter scenario is most likely. In any event, she's making clear that the coach is staying put at Chapel Hill.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bill Belichick's Girlfriend Has Message for Those Skeptical of Coach's UNC Commitment.
