- NCAA. Is Aaron Rodgers paving the way for Arch Manning to the Steelers in 2026?
- NCAA. Belichick opens up on UNC quarterback dilemma and Max Johnson's recovery progress
Jordon Hudson's whirlwind ascent from small-town salon receptionist to constant companion of football coaching legend Bill Belichick has been one of the most curious subplots of the last year in American sports culture.
Photographers trail her in Chapel Hill, message-board sleuths pore over her social-media posts, and friends field calls from national outlets eager for a glimpse behind the curtain.
The most colorful testimony so far comes from celebrity hairstylist Dougie Freeman, owner of West End Salon & Spa in Provincetown, where Hudson first worked part-time while still a high-school student.
"I consider her a supernova," Freeman told The Athletic, placing the young Miss Maine USA contestant in cosmic company before reciting his shop's motto: "Let us help you use what you've got to get what you want ... and maybe Jordon Hudson is a good example of that."
Freeman credits open-minded Provincetown, long celebrated as one of America's most LGBTQ-friendly enclaves, for shaping Hudson's comfort with unconventional relationships.
"Growing up in this town, she saw how alternative relationships work. They can work," he said of the 21-year-old, who has been linked publicly to Belichick, 73, since the summer of 2024.
Chapel Hill spotlight intensifies as UNC opener nears
Hudson's profile has grown in lockstep with Belichick's new job. After six Super Bowl victories in New England and two as a Giants assistant, the eight-time champion surprised the football world by accepting the head-coaching post at the University of North Carolina last winter.
Preseason camps are still weeks away, yet speculation about Hudson's role around the Tar Heels' facility has already reached a boil, fueled in part by her awkward answer during a CBS Sunday Morning feature in April, when she glossed over how the pair first met.
Belichick attempted to douse that chatter in a May sit-down with ESPN.
"That's really off to the side, it's a personal relationship. She doesn't have anything to do with UNC football," he insisted, adding that his staff remains focused on the September 1 opener against TCU.
Freeman, who exchanged a string of DMs with Hudson earlier this spring, believes she is adapting well to the sudden glare.
"She seems to be doing fine," he recalled telling her when she learned he had spoken to The Washington Post.
For now, Hudson appears content cheering from the sidelines while Belichick installs his playbook in Chapel Hill. The couple marked their four-year "meet-iversary" in February, a reminder that their bond predates the frenzy.