Reported by Matt Baker, Andrew Marchand, and Brendan Marks
Announcement of “Hard Knocks” Featuring Bill Belichick
On February 28, various media outlets, including The Athletic, announced that North Carolina’s football program and coach Bill Belichick were set to be featured in this season’s “Hard Knocks,” the documentary series on HBO. However, the agreement fell through just days later, right before a public announcement was scheduled.
Key Role of Jordon Hudson
Jordon Hudson, Belichick’s girlfriend, played a significant role in halting the production due to her desire for substantial involvement in the project, according to several sources familiar with the negotiations who remained anonymous. An email sent by Hudson to North Carolina officials in December 2024 referred to her as the chief operating officer of Belichick Productions; however, The Athletic found no registration for such a company in Massachusetts or any other state.
Filming Schedule and Cancellation
Documents obtained by The Athletic revealed that NFL Films was set to commence filming on March 1 for a two-month shoot focusing on Belichick’s first season at UNC. Nonetheless, on March 3, Jessica Boddy, the NFL’s VP for commercial operations, informed North Carolina’s counsel via email that they “will not proceed with the production of the Belichick project.”
Uncomfortable Negotiations
The abrupt end to weeks of negotiation was vaguely explained by Boddy, who mentioned that “the conversation took a turn we were not comfortable with.” Hudson has been informally involved with UNC since Belichick’s hiring, participating in communications with the school’s media staff.
Financial Impact on North Carolina
Ultimately, NFL Films’ withdrawal from the project resulted in a significant loss for North Carolina, which stood to gain $200,000 in fees and additional exposure. More than 200 pages of related emails show how close the project was to completion, yet Hudson was not mentioned in these communications.
Details of the Proposed Show
The proposal for the show was straightforward: it aimed to document Belichick’s transition from the NFL to college football and the team-building process. Filming was supposed to begin shortly with multiple crews working daily at the facilities, capturing various behind-the-scenes aspects.
Final Communication and Wrap-Up
On the eve of the public announcement, tension arose due to Belichick’s pending approval, leading to a last-minute cancellation of the deal. In the end, while acknowledging the circumstances, Boddy offered to reimburse any incurred expenses and confirmed that the project was officially terminated.
