It’s safe to say that longtime SEC sports analyst Paul Finebaum is no big fan of Bill Belichick’s hiring at North Carolina or the program he’s building there.
Appearing on First Take yesterday for a preview of ACC football, Finebaum took a pretty vicious jab at Belichick by asserting that he’s been “second fiddle” to his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson.
“Also, there’s Bill Belichick, anybody heard of this guy?” Finebaum said. “He’s only the most-famous NFL coach of all time this side of Vince Lombardi, but lately he’s played second fiddle to his girlfriend. I can’t believe I’m actually saying that, but I am.”
.@finebaum's top three CFB storylines ⬇️🤔 What's the pulse of the ACC with Clemson and UNC?🍿 Will Georgia and Alabama bounce back?😯 Is Arch Manning the best college QB since Tim Tebow? pic.twitter.com/R6FlCDs8sx
— First Take (@FirstTake) July 11, 2025
Other than that joke, Finebaum appeared uncertain on what the immediate future holds for Belichick in Chapel Hill. He pointed out that the cupboard was left a little bit barren in terms of talent by former head coach Mack Brown but believes that Belichick has recruited well in his first offseason at the helm.
“And that is a story that is really intriguing everyone. How does he do on the field?” Finebaum said. “Mack Brown did not leave a great cupboard in Chapel Hill and I think Belichick has recruited well. Can he navigate the nuances of college football, that is really the question?”
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Belichick’s girlfriend certainly became a national news story over this past offseason. Her infamous interruptions of an interview between Belichick and CBS kicked off a media firestorm.
In the aftermath, a slew of stories about Hudson’s background and relationship with the organization were made public. Some were found to be false while others were inconclusive, but all of them seemed to be a major distraction.
The only experience Belichick has in college coaching is being a college football player at Wesleyan University back in the mid-1970s. Suffice it to say, it’s a brave new world for him.
That said, Finebaum probably wouldn’t be having as much fun at Belichick’s expense if he had been hired by an SEC school rather than an ACC one.
Related: Paul Finebaum Has Brutally Honest Comment On Bill Belichick
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