Cam Newton only spent one season playing for the New England Patriots. But that was enough time for the 2015 NFL MVP to form an opinion regarding Bill Belichick.
And like many, Newton couldn’t help but weigh in on the recent headlines regarding Belichick’s relationship with Jordon Hudson. Especially since it runs counter to everything he says he learned about the 6-time Super Bowl champion head coach during his lone season in New England.
“Hate me, despise me, but somebody gotta keep it real, man,” Newton says in a clip for his 4th & 1 podcast. “I find it extremely interesting for a person who’s always led with this: ‘do not be a distraction.’ We’re talking more about Jordon Hudson than talking about who’s our starting quarterback. You can’t name me three players on North Carolina’s roster right now besides Jordon Hudson.”
To be clear, Hudson isn’t an official member of the Tar Heels’ roster. In fact, Belichick has insisted on multiple occasions this week that she isn’t involved with the North Carolina program.
Nevertheless, Newton proceeded to state that players in an NFL locker room would have mocked the 73-year-old head coach’s relationship with his 24-year-old girlfriend. As for how it will play at the college level, the 2010 Heisman Trophy winner questioned how 16-year-old recruits and their families would perceive the situation.
“This ain’t a good look,” Newtom said. “As a teenager, can I compartmentalize this person as being my coach and take heed to what he’s saying and be able to not throw that back at him and say, ‘man, what you know, coach? Hey, you got girl problems just like me, huh?'”
@4thand1 @Cam Newton ♬ original sound – 4th&1 with Cam Newton
Newton went on to briefly reflect on what he witnessed from Belichick’s personal life during his single season with the Patriots in 2020, when the 3-time NFL Coach of the Year was still dating his longtime girlfriend, Linda Holliday, who is much closer to his own age (he reportedly met Hudson in 2021). He also made the same joke about Hudson having the same first name as the last name of North Carolina’s most famous alum that fellow ex-Patriots Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski already beat him to.
Despite his self-proclaimed bravery, Newton isn’t really saying anything here that anybody else hasn’t already said. Still, the idea of one of Bill Belichick’s former quarterbacks publicly opining on his personal relationship only speaks to the circus that his new PR approach is currently trying to curtail.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.