Report: Bill Belichick's girlfriend Jordon Hudson had 'instrumental role' in cancelling 'Hard Knocks'

North Carolina and Bill Belichick were set to be featured on this summer’s Hard Knocks on HBO but the plug was pulled a few days after the announcement. Belichick’s girlfriend Jordon Hudson reportedly played an “instrumental role” in stopping the production, per The Athletic.

According to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, creative control was at the center of the sides being unable to reach an agreement on Hard Knocks. UNC was the pick for the second season of the show after the New York Giants were featured in the first offseason series.

But now, Hudson was reportedly the reason for the creative control issues. The 24-year old identified herself as the chief operating officer of “Belichick Productions,” which has not been identified as an actual registered company anywhere.

“According to documents obtained Tuesday by The Athletic, NFL Films was scheduled to begin filming March 1 as part of a two-month stint on campus that would delve behind the scenes into the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach’s first UNC team,” The Athletic’s report read. Instead, on March 3, Jessica Boddy — the NFL’s vice president for commercial operations and business affairs — sent an email to North Carolina’s counsel confirming that showmakers ‘will not proceed with the production of the Belichick project.’

“The only explanation offered as to why weeks of negotiations had suddenly fallen apart? ‘The conversation took a turn we were not comfortable with,’ wrote Boddy, also one of the show’s executive producers.”

There is reportedly a growing concern from North Carolina officials over Hudson’s influence. It came on the heels of a bizarre CBS Sunday Morning interview featuring Belichick on camera and Hudson behind the scenes. She reportedly delayed the interview 30 minutes, called out the host for asking how she and Belichick met and stormed out, waiting for the long time coach to join her.

Not only that, she posted a cryptic message and screenshot of a Belichick email as criticism built over the weekend. She has yet to follow up on any messaging since reactivating her Twitter/X account, retweeting posts that were in support of her and Belichick.

Bill Belichick, Jordon Hudson’s involvement in stopping ‘Hard Knocks’

“Ultimately, the decision for NFL Films to back out of the agreed-upon deal between the league-owned production company and the school meant the end of a project Belichick himself had wanted, emails show,” The Athletic reported, regarding Hard Knocks. “North Carolina lost out on $200,000 in facilities fees and untold more in exposure. More than 200 pages of emails obtained by The Athletic through a public records request detail how the project was pitched and how close it came to completion. Hudson is not mentioned or included in the emails.”

The Athletic report detailed that announcements were set following the reveal of promotional materials to Belichick and UNC. However, the report stated the head coach did not give approval. Hard Knocks executive producer Ken Rodgers was waiting on confirmation, as well as NFL VP for commercial operations Jessica Boddy. While reportedly waiting for confirmation on Belichick’s end with the deal near the finish line in the beginning of March, it suddenly ended.

“But 48 hours later, something had shifted,” The Athletic reported. “The conversation had turned uncomfortable, leaving a deal that was at the finish line suddenly dead. All that was left by that point was a final clean-up. Boddy offered for NFL Films to reimburse North Carolina for any expenses the school had incurred, and reiterated that ‘we greatly appreciate your assistance throughout this process.’”