Jordon Hudson and Bill Belichick are seen at the Holiday Inn in Portland, Maine
Jordon Hudson and Bill Belichick leave the Miss Maine USA pageant on May 11, 2025.
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On Sunday, May 11, Jordon Hudson placed third in the Miss Maine USA pageant after two days of competing on stage
After the winner was crowned, Hudson, 24, and her boyfriend Bill Belichick, 73, were seen leaving the pageant venue together, holding hands
She previously competed in the same pageant in 2024, when she placed second
Jordon Hudson and Bill Belichick left this weekend's Miss Maine USA pageant together, in stride.
After Hudson, 24, placed third at the event on Sunday, May 11, she exited the Holiday Inn Portland venue beside her boyfriend Belichick, 73. The contestant — who was representing the town of Hancock — left with her sash still draped over the sparkling purple evening gown she wore on stage.
The former cheerleader made it to the final round of the pageant, where she competed against 16 other hopefuls vying for the crown. She placed behind first runner-up Mara Carpenter and crowned winner Shelby Howell, who will now represent Maine in the national Miss USA 2025 pageant.
On both days of the weekend-long competition, Belichick supported his girlfriend from a front-row seat. Shortly before Hudson was awarded third place, she received the pageant's style award. She previously competed in Miss Maine USA 2024, then earning second place.
Jordon Hudson and Bill Belichick are seen at the Holiday Inn in Portland, Maine
Jordon Hudson and Bill Belichick are seen at the Holiday Inn in Portland, Maine
In addition to her Miss Maine USA appearance, Hudson most recently made headlines for her relationship with the UNC football coach. In addition to their frequent public outings together and regular social media activity, the couple caught some criticism after their awkward CBS News appearance on April 27.
Belichick sat down for a Sunday Morning segment timed ahead of the release of his book The Art of Winning: Lessons from a Life in Football. He was joined on air by Hudson, whom reporter Tony Dokoupil described as a “constant presence” during the interview. The broadcast became tense when she shut down the reporter's question about how the pair met.
Jordon Hudson at the Holiday Inn in Portland, Maine, on May 11, 2025 where had been competing in the Miss Maine USA competition where she came 2nd runner up
Jordon Hudson at the Holiday Inn in Portland, Maine, on May 11, 2025 where had been competing in the Miss Maine USA competition where she came 2nd runner up
Dokoupil moved on from the uncomfortable pause by stating in a voiceover, “It’s a topic neither one of them is comfortable commenting on.”
A few days later, Belichick issued a statement regarding his and Hudson's widely discussed moment during the broadcast. He maintained that the purpose of the interview was to promote his book, and he was not prepared to discuss "unrelated topics" on air.
"Prior to this interview, I clearly communicated with my publicist at Simon & Schuster that any promotional interviews I participated in would agree to focus solely on the contents of the book," Belichick began in the statement, which was sent via email from his employer, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, on April 30.
"Unfortunately, that expectation was not honored during the interview. I was surprised when unrelated topics were introduced, and I repeatedly expressed to the reporter, Tony Dokoupil, and the producers that I preferred to keep the conversation centered on the book," he continued. "After this occurred several times, Jordon, with whom I share both a personal and professional relationship, stepped in to reiterate that point to help refocus the discussion."
He also addressed Hudson's quick response to the question about their first meeting, which led to viewers' speculation about the origin of their relationship.
Three women in a public indoor setting wearing sashes labeled 'Greenville' and 'Hancock,' dressed formally, one of them waving
Three women in a public indoor setting wearing sashes labeled 'Greenville' and 'Hancock,' dressed formally, one of them waving
"She was not deflecting any specific question or topic but simply doing her job to ensure the interview stayed on track," Belichick's statement read. "Some of the clips make it appear as though we were avoiding the question of how we met, but we have been open about the fact that Jordon and I met on a flight to Palm Beach in 2021."
In a statement shared with PEOPLE, CBS refuted Belichick's assertions that there were off-limits topics.
“When we agreed to speak with Mr. Belichick, it was for a wide-ranging interview. There were no preconditions or limitations to this conversation. This was confirmed repeatedly with his publisher before the interview took place and after it was completed.”