NFL legend Shannon Sharpe has leapt to the defence of Bill Belichick after it was reported that he has his girlfriend copied into emails sent to him by staff at the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Belichick is regarded as one of - if not the - greatest coaches in the history of American football after he has won the Super Bowl a record six times as a coach, all of which were claimed with the New England Patriots.
The now 72-year-old left the Patriots at the start of 2024 and returned to coaching at the end of last year after taking over at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's football team, penning a lucrative contract which reportedly earns him $10m annually.
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It was recently reported that an email account appearing to belong to Belichick has requested to staff at North Carolina that his 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson - whom he has been dating since 2023 - is copied in to any emails sent to him.
According to a screenshot shared by journalist Matt Hartman of The Assembly, which is signed off BB, the peculiar request reads: "Robbi. Thank you for the e-mail.
"I am including Jordon on this email so she can also keep up with our postings. Can you include her on anything you send to me? Thank you."
Belichick nor UNC have yet commented on the screenshots.
Three-time Super Bowl winner Sharpe has now had his say on the situation along with his Nightcap co-host Chad Johnson.
And Sharpe accepted he understood the request from Belichick to have girlfriend Hudson copied in to any correspondence sent to him.
Speaking on The Nightcap Show, he said: "Bill Belichick is telling UNC staff to copy his 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, in every message intended for him.
"Here's the thing… a lot of people have executive assistants, and you loop them in.
"She's not his assistant, there's a difference between the two. I think Coach Belichick has an assistant, but I don't think it's her. He has a girlfriend, it's this young lady, Jordon. Two different (people).
"I get it, I do. When you're in love, we've all been there. We tell the girl everything, every move."
Co-host Johnson also had his say and while he stopped short of having a partner being copied into all of his emails, he accepted the need personally that a 'small team' are kept aware of his schedule.
Johnson said: "For me, the keys thing is within context. Anything work related, the small team I have, that individual is included.
"It's to make sure I stay on top of stuff because sometimes I forget certain things.
"My scheduling, what time my flight is, my boarding pass. Small stuff so I can stay on top of it and that individual can keep me ahead of schedule.
"But everything? No, absolutely not.
"I understand what you're saying, but there's a thin line between being in love and being stupid, and I never crossed that line - ever."
Topics: NFL, Super Bowl
John McDougall