Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson Are Matching in White as They Hold Hands Ahead of UNC’s Kickoff Game

Bill Belichick and his girlfriend Jordon Hudson were spotted in matching white outfits Thursday night in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a little more than a week out from the former NFL coach’s collegiate debut.

Belichick, 73, walked hand-in-hand with his 24-year-old girlfriend, both sporting big smiles as Hudson carried a box of leftovers from their dinner in downtown Chapel Hill on Thursday, Aug. 21.

The six-time Super Bowl winning football coach has arguably made more headlines as of late for his relationship with Hudson, the former Bridgewater State University cheerleader he began dating in 2023 after ending his 16-year relationship with Linda Holliday.

Hudson’s persistent interruptions during an awkward April interview with Belichick on CBS Sunday Morning put a massive spotlight on their relationship and led to a wave of discussions among sports pundits about whether the football coach’s personal life would potentially impact his results on the field. Some former players and friends even voiced concern over Belichick and Hudson’s relationship — as well as the dynamic between them with Hudson acting as her 73-year-old boyfriend’s publicist.

Four months later, Belichick is focused on the last few days of practice before his first real test as head coach of the University of North Carolina’s football team, when they kick off their season against TCU on Sept. 1.

He told the Boston Globe on Thursday that he’s liking the change from the NFL to college so far — and also took a jab at his former boss, Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

“I enjoy it. I’ve always wanted to be in college football,” Belichick said. “I grew up in college football. This is a great university, it’s a great opportunity here. The kids are great, they work hard, they want to be good, and they try. Working with a lot of people I like to work with, and I enjoy coming to work every day. That’s an important quality of life.”

“There’s no owner, there’s no owner’s son, there’s no cap, everything that goes with the marketing and everything else, which I’m all for that. But it’s way less of what it was at that level,” he continued. “Generic NFL teams, you have the owner, president, general manager, personnel director, college director, pro director, cap guy, some other consultant, then head coach. I’d say when we had our best years in New England, we had fewer people and more of a direct vision. And as that expanded, it became harder to be successful.”

And despite all the public criticism and speculation surrounding his relationship with Hudson, a source close to Belichick told PEOPLE earlier this year that he doesn’t care what others think.

“Bill doesn’t care about all the talk surrounding his and Jordon’s relationship,” the source told PEOPLE in late April. “He’s never been happier than he is with Jordon. She brings a positive energy, and people haven’t seen him this relaxed and laidback in a while.”