Bill Belichick once starred on the front cover of a gay magazine during his time with the New England Patriots – albeit without appearing to agree to it himself.
Back in March 2008, Boston Spirit – the city’s leading homosexual publication – unveiled Belichick as their latest cover star much to the surprise of the NFL world.
The heterosexual football coach’s photo, a standard shot showing him in Patriots gear, could be seen next to a headline reading: ‘”Hey Coach, I’m gay!” Boston Spirit gets the inside scoop on what it would take for a Patriot, Red Sox, Bruin, or Celtic to come out.’
It quickly became apparent that Belichick had not been recruited for an interview with the magazine, nor was he the subject of any stories in that edition.
Instead, the Boston Herald claimed at the time that his picture was used by the Spirit as ‘a prop to illustrate the piece that asks the age-old question: “If one of Boston’s professional athletes announced he was gay would his team and the fans rally around him?”’
Spirit Publisher David Zimmerman was quoted as saying at the time that Belichick was chosen to make that point surrounding homosexuality in sports because ‘he is, currently, the most recognizable coach in the New England area.’
Bill Belichick once starred on the front cover of a gay magazine during his time with the Patriots
The legendary coach was used as a prop to ask a question about homosexuality in sports
Belichick had just wrapped up his ninth season as Patriots head coach at the time, which ended with a Super Bowl defeat against the New York Giants.
His New England team would go on to lose against the Giants again at Super Bowl XLVI in 2012, before claiming another three championship rings over his next 12 seasons in charge.
Prior to his unexpected appearance on the cover of Boston Spirit, Belichick had already guided the Patriots to three Super Bowl victories.
The 73-year-old, who has dropped down into the college ranks to coach North Carolina since leaving New England, is currently facing scrutiny over his relationship with 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson.
Hudson made headlines for the wrong reasons last month when she interrupted Belichick’s interview with CBS Sunday Morning’s Tony Dokoupil to shut down a question about how they first met.
The painfully awkward moment, which went viral on social media, sparked concerns about the nature of their relationship, with many expressing fears over how much control Jordon has over Bill and the distraction she could be causing in his new role as North Carolina head coach.
The ongoing Hudson drama took another twist last week after former ESPN reporter Pablo Torre claimed on his podcast that she is no longer welcome at UNC’s football facilities.
He reported that high-ranking officials in UNC’s athletic department came to a decision last week that she would not be allowed at the football field or inside the facility.
Belichick, 73, is currently facing scrutiny over his romance with 24-year-old Jordon Hudson
The sports journalist also stated from a source that, ‘there is deep worry for how detrimental Jordon can be for not just North Carolina but Bill’s legacy, reputation – everything he has built and worked for over decades.’
Torre also made the bold claim that the Belichick family ‘has been digging into’ Hudson, with her antics over the last few weeks raising tons of red flags.
However, a statement from Carolina Athletics to Daily Mail has strongly denied the story of Hudson being banned. It read: ‘While Jordon Hudson is not an employee at the University or Carolina Athletics, she is welcome to the Carolina Football facilities.’
Belichick broke his silence on the matter earlier this week, insisting it is ‘a personal relationship’ that ‘doesn’t have anything to do with UNC football’ while awkwardly dodging a question about Hudson.
