Celebrities Show Up For Bill Belichick, Jordon Hudson UNC Debut
ESPN cameras didn't skip a beat and went full "Taylor Swift-NFL" with an abundance of shots focusing on UNC's First Lady.
Bill Belichick’s takeover at UNC brought the stars out Monday night as the Tar Heels debuted their new head coach against TCU.
Celebrities lined the sidelines at Kenan Memorial Stadium, turning Chapel Hill into the stage for the Belichick-Tar Heels-Jordon Hudson show.
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 01: Head coach Bill Belichick of the North Carolina Tar Heels walks off the field following the completion of the first half of the game against the TCU Horned Frogs at Kenan Stadium on September 01, 2025 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
ESPN cameras didn't skip a beat and went full "Taylor Swift-NFL" with an abundance of shots focusing on UNC's First Lady.
Among those also in attendance: Michael Jordan, Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor, Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss, ex-Tar Heels hoops coach Roy Williams, Yankees manager Aaron Boone, USWNT icon Mia Hamm, former NFL star Julius Peppers, country artists Eric Church and Chase Rice, and Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell.
Hudson celebrated in her suite with Randy Moss after UNC got on the board with an eight-yard touchdown run by Caleb Hood.
But the Tar Heels’ momentum faded quickly. After Hood’s score, TCU took control and carried a 20–7 lead into halftime.
Hudson, the 24-year-old girlfriend of the 73-year-old Belichick, drew attention in a Tar Heels-inspired outfit — a tank top and blue pants.
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 01: Head coach Bill Belichick of the University of North Carolina Tar Heels walks onto the field prior to the game against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs at Kenan Stadium on September 01, 2025 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Alex Halloway/Getty Images)
Her connection to Belichick, sparked by a 2021 encounter on a flight, has created a remarkable buzz around UNC. That buzz, however, hasn’t been all positive. Many have already questioned Hudson’s presence in Belichick's role and suggested she wasn’t exactly welcomed as part of the program’s new era.
Belichick arrived in Chapel Hill this offseason on a five-year, $50 million deal, bringing the weight of an NFL legend’s reputation.
His six Super Bowl titles with the New England Patriots — before a mutual split in 2024 — were already enough of a storyline. The intrigue of his relationship with Hudson has made him perhaps the most talked-about coach in all of football.
Under the bright spotlight, Belichick and Hudson's carriage turned to a pumpkin after UNC lost, 48-14, in a drubbing by TCU.
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