A new season of the popular HBO series, Hard Knocks, which was set to showcase Bill Belichick’s inaugural season coaching at the University of North Carolina, has been canceled. The reason behind this decision was allegedly linked to the actions of his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson.
According to The New York Times, negotiations hit a roadblock when Hudson made a series of demands, including seeking partial ownership of the show and requesting authority over the season’s content. Hudson’s last-minute requests emerged just days before the official announcement of the series. Additionally, reports suggest that Hudson was exploring options with a competing production company to develop a documentary series with a similar focus.
Her demands led NFL Films to cancel the entire project.
Another report shedding light on the collapse of the Hard Knocks project centered on remarks from one of the show’s executive producers. This individual hinted at challenging discussions, stating, “The conversation took a turn we were not comfortable with.”
The Times report highlights growing concerns that Hudson has been given outsized control over Belichick’s estate and business matters. The former New England Patriots coach practically confirmed that himself during a recent appearance on Good Morning America when he said they share “a good personal relationship.”
“She’s been very helpful to me. She does the business things that don’t relate to [University of] North Carolina that come up in my life so I can concentrate on football. And that’s what I really want to do,” he said.
Hudson’s LinkedIn account even lists her as the chief operating officer of Belichick productions, according to The Wrap.
Concerns about their relationship first arose after the couple went viral for a CBS interview in which she reportedly interrupted several times to keep Belichick from answering certain questions.
In one instance caught on camera that quickly went viral, Hudson did not allow Belichick to share how they first met.
The moment was troubling enough that former NFL player Michael Strahan pressed Belichick for details about their relationship during his appearance on GMA.
“We have a good personal relationship,” Belichick said on the show, before adding, “And you know I’m not talking about personal relationships Michael, you know that.”
(function(d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) return;
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = “//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&appId=823934954307605&version=v2.8”;
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’));
