North Carolina coach reportedly furious over questions he was asked in interview

PublishedJune 5, 2025 12:21 PM EDT•UpdatedJune 5, 2025 1:14 PM EDT

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New communications between Bill Belichick and Simon & Schuster senior director of publicity David Kass allegedly reveal that the UNC football coach was extremely hesitant about doing interviews regarding his newly released book, "The Art of Winning: Lessons from My Life in Football," for fear that reporters may bring up outside stories, including his relationship with 24-year-old Jordon Hudson.

The football GOAT coach, however, eventually gave into the publicist, practically begging him to do a "CBS Sunday Morning" interview, which would end up living in infamy as one of Belichick's biggest PR fails thanks to his refusal to answer certain questions, as well as Hudson's constant interruptions. The story is in the videotape as they say, which has never been more evident than Hudson appearing to tell CBS's Tony Dokoupil how to do his job and what he's allowed to ask.

"I can assure you that the conversation [will be] about the book." Kass allegedly said according to "communications" obtained by TMZ Sports. It's unclear if the messages were via text, email or over the phone or who provided the outlet with the reported conversations. "This is a book segment," Kass added, "that looks at your life in football and what people can learn from you to achieve success in their own lives."

The result of Belichick putting his trust in his publicist ended up being absolute madness as the world saw how overbearing Hudson was, which has snowballed into reports and rumors that Hudson is a control freak and had interjected herself in nearly all aspects of his life. Perhaps what's more striking about the reported leaks to TMZ Sports is that Belichick literally appears to have no clue whatsoever as to how interviews or the media work, as he repeatedly tells Kass that he wants a strict set of guidelines and questions asked during the press event.

"Our sources say Belichick was furious ... as even though it was expected there would be potential questions about Kraft and Hudson, he anticipated them only being related to their roles in his book, or in Kraft's case, lack thereof," TMZ reports..

BELICHICK WAS REPORTEDLY FURIOUS IN THE CBS AFTERMATH

In the days leading up to the CBS interview, Kass flew up to North Carolina to visit Belichick to persuade him to do more press to push the book and assure him everything would be fine.

"[I spoke to a CBS producer] about sticking to the book and shared that if they do, they'll get a great interview, and he was really open, saying he's not interested in going beyond the book," Kass reportedly wrote Belichick in the TMZ leaked messages.

TMZ Sports also reportedly released communications where Kass informed UNC that he would not be attending the CBS interview with the head coach, mainly because Belichick seemed to not care.

"I had asked Bill if he wanted me there and he didn't seem to care, so I thought it best to stay back and not lose all that time in transit," Kass wrote the school.

First off, for a publicist to have a client such as Belichick, who has always been stern and short in his answers, Kass should have known that, at the very least, he should have been traveling with the coach - especially if the coach had been wary about doing press in the first place!

In the days following the PR mess and social media uproar over the embarrassingly bizarre behavior from both Bill and his girlfriend, the head coach would finally release a statement in which he says he "clearly communicated with my publicist and Simon & Schuster" that any interviews had to "focus solely on the contents of the book."

Bill, you might have been able to control the narrative while you were in New England and on the football field, but in a world of "what have you done for me lately," you no longer call the shots - especially thinking that you can tell media members what they can and can not ask. As a member of the media, I can tell you that there is always a strict absolute "No," if a publicist or a subject I'm interested in asking about is supposed to be off limits during the interview. It's simple to understand, as it compromises the integrity and reputation of myself and the work I put out. 

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When you parade Jordon around to red carpets, dinners, and even football practice, what did you think was going to happen when you sat down and did press?

Why did you write a damn book in the first place if you had no intention of promoting it and were going to be such a crybaby about it? 

Hope it was worth putting a laughing emotion next to your name when people refer to you from here on out - and the season hasn't even started yet!