Bill Belichick, the venerable head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, recently spoke about his new book, “The Art of Winning: Lessons from My Life in Football,” during an interview on “CBS Sunday Morning.” When we were together virtually on April 27, 2025, the discussion gave a fascinating glimpse into Belichick’s remarkable career as the NFL’s foremost architect. It focused attention on his recent transition to collegiate football. He began roaming the sideline for the Tar Heels at Kenan Stadium beginning on April 12, 2025. This occurred shortly after he locked up a five-year extension worth $10 million per season.
Belichick’s book explores his decades-long coaching journeys, as well as his time with stars such as Tom Brady. It serves as a guide for his unorthodox path to success in the game of football and how he overcame unique obstacles that he faced along the way. His insights reveal a commitment to maintaining a balanced perspective, as he stated, “When things were bad, I tried to be positive. When things were good, I had a way of trying to bring things down and say, ‘Look, don’t believe the hype. We’ve still got a lot of work to do.’”
Belichick spoke about the book with infectious zeal. At our second IMPACT session, he opened up about his personal life and the encouragement he gets from his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson. The pair attracted international media attention when Hudson crashed a live TV interview, leading reporters to discover their unlikely love story. At just 24 years of age, Hudson has become one of the biggest influences on the legendary Belichick’s professional life. The 73-year-old mentor doesn’t leave those, or other, important aspects of his career to chance. With this support, he doesn’t have to think about anything but football.
“She does the business things that don’t relate to North Carolina that come up in my life so I can concentrate on football, and that’s really what I want to do.” – Bill Belichick
“Sometimes I get a little football technical and so, you know, she did a good job of keeping me on balance there.” – Bill Belichick
Reflecting on his new role at the University of North Carolina, Belichick emphasized the eagerness and ambition of his players. He painted them as “hungry” and dream-filled, letting everyone know that he believed any one of them could grow up to be the next great athlete.
Prior to coming to UNC, Belichick built a reputation as a wizard on the sidelines as one of the most successful coaches in NFL history. His dad was an assistant coach at UNC in the 1950s. This brings a more personal connection for him as he starts on this new chapter in his career. In addition, coaching is very much in his family’s blood, making for a strong legacy. It’s his intention to follow a different road while still respecting that past.
On February 6, 2025, Belichick and Hudson stole the show during the NFL Honors awards ceremony. This event happened immediately before Super Bowl 59, also in New Orleans. By walking the red carpet together, they were able to showcase their personal relationship while emphasizing Hudson’s part in backing Belichick’s efforts.
Now that he’s embarked on this exciting new path with the Tar Heels, Belichick still wants to pass along those priceless lessons from his storied career. He’s just trying to foster a killer instinct among his players. His focus has not wavered in the slightest, positively on the field, and he credits the support of everyone around him.
“They’re so eager. They’re hungry. They have dreams. They want to be good,” – Bill Belichick
