In a recent segment on “The Herd,” Colin Cowherd offered a provocative analysis of Bill Belichick’s transition to coaching at the University of North Carolina (UNC), suggesting that the legendary NFL coach is undergoing a deliberate rebranding to pave the way for a return to professional football.
Cowherd’s theory hinges on Belichick’s unexpected embrace of youth culture, social media, and a high-profile relationship with 24-year-old Jordon Hudson. This paints a picture of a calculated effort to reshape his public image from the gruff, combative figure known in the NFL to a more relatable and current persona.
Colin Cowherd suggests Bill Belichick’s Relationship Is a Calculated Rebrand
Cowherd thinks there’s more to Belichick’s relationship with Jordon Hudson than romance—he sees it as part of a bigger strategy. “What I’d argue in all of this is Belichick is rebranding himself,” Cowherd said. He points to Belichick spending time with a younger girlfriend and hanging around a college campus as signs that the legendary coach is trying to reshape his image and stay relevant in a new career chapter.
Is Bill Belichick reinventing himself ahead of a potential return to the NFL?@ColinCowherd believes so and explains how Jordon Hudson is a part of Belichick’s “rebranding” efforts. pic.twitter.com/XgbCAnjgDZ
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) May 9, 2025
Cowherd thinks the relationship—and Belichick’s recent activity on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram—is all part of a bigger play to connect with a younger crowd. He believes it’s not just about staying current, but also about catching the attention of NFL teams that might be weighing a possible comeback.
“He found a young girlfriend. He’s on a young college campus,” Cowherd said, highlighting how different that looks from Belichick’s old reputation as “grumpy, combative, and out of touch.”
Cowherd also called out the irony in Belichick diving into social media, something he used to mock openly. “He’s doing TikTok, and Snapgram, and Instachat, and all that stuff he used to make fun of,” Cowherd joked. The point? Belichick seems to be making a real effort to stay relevant in today’s NFL, where media presence and youth culture play a bigger role than ever.
Belichick’s Strategic Use of UNC and Contractual Flexibility
Belichick’s contract at UNC also seems to back up Cowherd’s theory that this could all be part of a bigger plan to get back to the NFL. “Even if you look at his contract at Carolina, the out is after a year,” Cowherd pointed out, suggesting that this gig might just be a short-term stop. It’s starting to look less like a retirement phase and more like a strategic detour.
This contractual flexibility allows him to leverage his time at the university to enhance his public image while keeping his options open for a return to the NFL. Cowherd believes that Belichick’s “DNA is pro football,” and his ultimate goal is to use this period at UNC to “get back to the NFL,” which he describes as “his real dream.”
Further, Cowherd’s analysis includes Belichick’s hiring practices and emphasis at UNC, which he feels are off the mark for collegiate will sports. “These are NFL guys first, second, and third, and fourth, and fifth, and sixth,” said Cowherd, who concluded that Belichick and his staff are not interested in the university’s athletic department in its true sense and instead are using it as a vehicle.
This perspective aligns with the idea that Belichick’s presence at UNC is part of a broader strategy to remain in the public eye and maintain his relevance in the NFL coaching market.
Cowherd’s view on Belichick’s lifestyle change provides fascinating insight into what the legendary Belichick could be doing at UNC and what it could spell out for his future in the NFL.
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Leaning toward youth culture, frolicking on social media, and getting into the spotlight with a highly publicized relationship seem to be Belichick’s moves to redefine himself. It feels like he’s getting in position to come back, and maybe his new reincarnation could open some doors back into the league.
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