Rob Gronkowski recently commented that Bill Belichick's relationship with 24-year-old Jordon Hudson is becoming a "distraction" as the former New England Patriots coach prepares for his first season at North Carolina.
Gronkowski noted the significant age gap during the Fox upfronts, joking that Hudson wasn't even born when the 73-year-old Belichick began his coaching career.
Fox News analyst Harris Faulkner remarked on the network's history, pointing out that "in 1962, Fox wasn't even a twinkle in Rupert Murdoch's eye" because "Fox didn't begin broadcasting until 1986."
Gronkowski countered that "Belichick's girlfriend" was "not even a twinkle in his eye that year," according to business reporter Daniel Kaplan .
In a recent interview with 98.5 The Sports Hub , Gronkowski struck a more serious tone when discussing the Hudson-Belichick relationship.
While social media initially embraced the May-December romance, Hudson created controversy when she interrupted a CBS interview after a question about their relationship.
"We're not talking about this," Hudson told interviewer Tony Dokoupil, attempting to redirect the conversation to Belichick's book.
The network later claimed she interrupted the interview multiple times and was a "constant presence" on set, raising concerns about her influence over Belichick.
Since then, negative coverage has followed Belichick, North Carolina, and Hudson's involvement with the program.
"You know, and in the back of your head, too, you're just thinking to yourself as well, 'When you were on the Patriots, the whole goal was to eliminate all the distractions that can possibly happen while you're on the team,'" Gronkowski told 98.5.
"And don't bring those distractions to the team and in the locker room, and we're just looking down at the program in North Carolina, and it feels like there are just distractions 24/7 down there."
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While Gronkowski has expressed concerns, Julian Edelman , who won three Super Bowls with the Patriots under Belichick, defended Hudson's behavior.
Edelman, speaking with Gronkowski on his "Dudes on Dudes" podcast, argued that Hudson was acting in a professional capacity, comparable to Belichick's former aide Berj Najarian.
"From what I've heard, Jordon is playing the Berj role — handling all the football ops, handling a lot of his social, a lot of his PR," Edelman said.
He noted that Hudson has reportedly been serving as Belichick's de facto agent, suggesting her actions were consistent with that role.
Gronkowski has been skeptical of Belichick's UNC coaching position from the start. He questioned whether "The Hoodie" could navigate the college landscape and recruit effectively.
"Can you imagine NIL, and all that nonsense?" Gronkowski wondered when reports emerged of Belichick interviewing for the Tar Heels position.
With mounting distractions, reports have suggested Belichick might not coach a single game at North Carolina, despite signing a five-year deal with UNC.
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